


Adopting the Stray

by Im_AtSoup



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Amputee Shiro, Book Store!Shiro, Boys' Love, Companion AU, Companion!Lance, Domestic Fluff, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, First Dates, Health Companion, Hunk & Lance (Voltron) Friendship, Hunk has two moms, Hurt/Comfort, Mild Gore, Minor Alpha/Omega/Beta Dynamics, Multi, Pet Care, Pillow & Blanket Forts, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Scarred Keith, Seizures, Self Conscious Hunk, Separation Anxiety, Shallura Mentions - Freeform, Slow Build, homosexual keith, prosthetic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-16
Updated: 2018-11-01
Packaged: 2018-11-14 16:21:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 48,710
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11211738
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Im_AtSoup/pseuds/Im_AtSoup
Summary: Maybe their crazy neighbor hadn't been to far off when she was snooping around their yard at three am on a rainy Sunday morning spouting some nonsense that there was a Stray digging around. Not one to push away someone in need the two men rush a companion to the clinic for an emergency visit when it's discovered he has an infected wound. It should of ended at that, but it didn't.They come home with a new face to add to their two person house.





	1. Rainy Beginnings

**Author's Note:**

> || Yeah I know..i really need to start something else right now when I haven't even touched my other stuff because of this dang block I have. But, don't worry. I've actually planned this one out from start to finish! I'm already editing the second chapter as well as working on another one for AC26.   
> I just wanted to kind of indulge in this super sweet Companion AU that's floating around on Tumblr right now. All credit goes to the original creator and her cute world building skills. I love it, you should go check it out. ||

 

It'd been a long, annoying night at work. Something that happened more times then not as a bartender. Venue's always got the public more hyped and the vibe of a good time usually led to far drunker people then normal. Which was good for tips of course but on the flip side those tips were coming from a combination of men who had to much bravado and libido. Or women who just couldn't take his subtle let downs and understand that he really, wasn't interested.

At least this time they hadn't had to kick out anyone for getting a little to 'amped' up. Usually nights were pretty laid back at his place of employment don't get him wrong. Most of the people that came to the bar were there to just relax and socialize after their own disappointing days at work. So things like clucking cocks and babbling geese didn't happen as often as you thought it would. Which was both relieving and a ridiculous let down. Keith would of almost liked to have the chance to wrestle someone out of the door on some nights when the hours dragged by lazily and the conversations between bar tender and customers were uninteresting. Keith wasn't a therapist after all, yet he always ended up being the one who got shuffled down the counter to a particular sad sap. Where he was made to listen to them babble about their own life problems for a good majority of the shift. He supposed it killed time, but damn would he rather not have the added stress of other thoughts about situations that didn't even affect him keeping his mind awake at night. But try convincing that to the customers.

Keith exhaled, guiding his sturdy mustang into the driveway he shared with his brother. By this point in the early morning Shiro was either asleep by now, or attempting to be with this rainy weather. The time flickering on his dashboard was a daunting three am. Thursday and Saturday nights were always long ones due to cleaning up after the local bands and the crowds they inevitably drew in. Keith was all about his sleep damnit. When he could get it that is. But the wad of tips that was rubber banded together in his glove box paid for the lack of relaxation twice over at least. 

They'd been generous tonight. Thank you drunk college students and peacocking men.

Flicking off his ignition Keith sat back and breathed out a long sigh. Giving himself a moment to just listen some of the silence that was accompanied by the pitter patter of rain running in streaks down his windshield. A tradition of sorts. He used these brief minutes to tone down, recollect before going inside to otherwise finish out the rest of his day. Tsk well morning of course now. Not that living with his adopted brother was stressful in the least it was just kind of nice to have that second to yourself to calm down and slow your racing mind. Let the events of the day fall off where they could be procrastinated upon like a responsible adult of course. The ravenette clucked his tongue in amusement. 

Responsible.

Right he mused, just as a tap on his driver's side window jolted him in his seat violently enough that he hit his head on the ceiling of his car. 

"Fuck!" he hissed, scrubbing at the spot. So much for being left to his own self for a whole minute he cursed. Turning to shoot a nasty glare at whoever the fuck was in his driveway at almost four in the damn morning....

"Sable." he scowled, recognizing the woman immediately through the back light of her flashlight. She at least had the common decency to angle it down any ways as he gathered his keys, flipped up his hood, and climbed out of the car into the steady rain. Not troubled at all by making her shuffle out of the way to avoid being hit by his door without warning. This woman and Keith went back a good year or two. Their relationship was riddled with underhanded jabs, icy glares, and miscommunications. She was the 'i know what's best for you better then you yourself do' and if there was one type of person he disliked most it was said type. He'd never had good experiences in the past with those kind of people. They were controlling and manipulative with their pushy natures. Every adult he had had up until he'd met Shiro was like this to him. Treating Keith like a chore instead of a person, so to say the least. He was bitter.  

"You do realize it's almost four am? What are you doing in my driveway?" he drawled bluntly, speaking loud enough to be heard over the rain as he pulled the brim of his hood down further. Attempting to keep the fat drops from getting in his eyes anyways.

"There's a stray running around the neighborhood."

What....

Keith's expression fell into a flat deadpan. That familiar pebble of irritation beginning to warm itself in his gut.

"A stray? That's it?"

Out of all the things it could of been, dealing with a stray was probably the lesser of the evils. Still annoying in the sense that it was illegal to not report it to your local authorities --

"That's it? You know that we have to report any shifty stray companions. It's against the law. Not to mention that it's been causing issues all over the neighborhood. Haven't you been listening?" the woman hissed back, nose wrinkling in that way that made her look as if she'd just smelled something foul. Or in his opinion, just got a whiplash of 'stupid'.

He scowled, keeping his shoulders hunched up and arms crossed against the drizzle. Great not only was he tired and ready to sleep but he was now getting soaked because of some rule obsessive woman who was sniffing around the neighborhood at an equally suspicious hour in the morning for probably nothing but her own house creaking as it shifted.

"Uh-huh, and I know that. Everyone does. But are you aware of the fact that it's going on five in the morning and it's raining like hell? And you're outside snooping around people's yards like it's normal?" Keith retorted, not up to the task of exercising patience with this blonde today.

In the long run it wasn't like she was an awful neighbor if he had to be painfully honest. Sable normally kept to herself and in her never ending duty to kerp the exterior of her home clean. Going well beyond the city's regulations for pristine property care. She was knowledgeable when it came to business and generally could be pleasant. If she didn't have that constant drive to one-up a person in every sentence. 

You got a new car? Well hers just rolled off the steamer instead of being last year's model. 

You've compiled a small list of hobbies to help ease your PTSD? Well professionally speaking it'd just be more 'worth' it to see a shrink instead to spare yourself the mistakes and triggering episodes.

Going to weekly yoga and both physical and mental therapy sessions wasn't good enough. Just..every small thing you mentioned she had an expierence that topped it by a pedigree level. It grated his nerves but Shiro being the calm and 'keep the peace' type of guy refused to let Keith just unload on the woman and tell her to stop poking her stout nose in their business. 

"My companion is in heat and something distressed her. She's not a skittish type so obviously that mutt was sniffing her out." Sable argued back, making to look around as if she still planned to continue her search in /their/ yard like they were the ones harboring culprit. That, was it. He was done with the day and god forbid Shiro caught wind of this but he was tired. This woman was crazy, and wet clothes were gross and uncomfortable.

"Then I suggest you go inside and take care of it instead of leaving your companion alone in a time of vulnerability. Now get off my damn lawn so I can go into my house and /sleep/. If your so freaked the hell out then turn on a night light."

She looked shell shocked. As if he had physically lifted his hand palm flat and slapped her across the cheek because he didn't agree with her crazy shinanigans and had spoken back to her. It was satisfying to see it and in some childish way he wished he couod photograph this very moment just to remind her later on of who had put who in their place this morning. As if to put emphasis on what he'd said he raised his thick brows, widening his eyes with an expectant look that was shifted to the woman's house. A blunt, universal way of saying 'scat you crazy' in the nicest way possible after snapping at her. She finally huffed out a defeated breath and turned on the heel of her very unnecessary rain boots to cross the yard. Returning to her own house. He didn't move until her door had slammed shut and the porch light flickered off. Leaving only his own house light as the only form of guidance back to the porch.

"Good riddance." he hissed, sloshing along the driveway in now very thoroughly soaked clothes to go inside. But, as fate would have it the bell toll to karma was rung. Throwing another massive wrench in the way of achieving his quest to just lay down.

A crash of plastic echoed out in the early morning darkness. Coming from the opposite side of the house in the grassy alleyway that acted as the split between their home and the one next to it. Keith sighed, loud and exaggerated because of course the universe was going to just go ahead and prove him wrong by dropping this problem right into his lap. The man was incredibly tempted to blame the weather and say fuck it because he was really damn close to throwing a royal tantrum. But if their trash can had fallen over and something had actually gotten into it? Picking up excessively soggy trash tomorrow morning on his off day was going to piss him off. It wasn't like they lived in a neighborhood that had exquisite homes right out of the front page of an Ikea magazine but it wasn't exactly a sloppy place either. It'd look trashy to have dots of garbage stuck to blades of freshly watered grass for days on end until everything dried up and it became easier to pick up. So reluctantly he would just have a quick peek. A few seconds to make sure nothing was really amiss and this rumor of a stray wondering in their neighborhood was a complete lie.

Then he'd call the night done.

Stepping lightly on steady feet, Keith walked around to the side. Moving with a minimal amount of caution through the wet grass towards the back where they kept their trash bin neatly tucked up against the side of the house. Sure enough it was knocked over onto it's side and a trash bag or two had been through loose in the process. They still looked to be in tact much to his relief from what he could see from a short distance. However, what he didn't notice right away was the figure trying to wrangle said trash back into the tipped over can. Not until he got close enough to realize that the lid was being held up and open by a crouched form that was flailing a hand for its target. Keith instantly fumed.

"Hey! What're you doing?" he barked out, quickening his pace to cut the distance short. His sudden sharp voice must of scared the other because there was a yelp followed by the smack of the lid as it swung shut again.

 Keith stomped around to the other side where it had scurried off to on hands and feet.

Coming face to face with a pair of reflective blue-green eyes that belonged to none other than a companion. Standing straight up and stiff as a board in a sloppy stance of attention. Like a kid who had been caught red handed on the crime scene. Keith couldn't make them out very well with just the minimal lighting that came from an outside lamp on their neighbors house. It was to low and to far back by their back patio for it to give away to many features on the shorter figure. But from what he could tell the companion was male? Their hair was a little long, tangled as it hung limp with a pair of floppy canine ears resting on top. Heavy from the rain that had soaked into the companions clothes and hair. Keith squinted with a growning frown. He wasn't wearing hardly anything if you counted the to thin looking shirt and the faint hem of shorts that peeked out from the lengthy baseball T. Threads that looked like they might've seen better days. It confirmed the theory that yes, there was unfortantly a stray. Fuck, so much for having something to gloat over their feisty neighbor for huh? The companion didn't move. Looking like a deer in the headlights as it waited for the heavy tension to snap with the inevitable onslaught that would come from creating a mess with his clumsy mannerisms. While Keith was scrambling in wonder over what to do with this guy now that he had him frozen up. Caught. Bitterly Sable's words jumped to the forefront of his mind. He could take the easy way out by doing the good samaritan thing and just call the authorities to come handle this. Or he could just shoo the boy away and pretend like he never saw anything at all. 

But what he did see he couldn't un-see. 

Lightening flashed. Brightening the seen in erratic pulses of light that gave Keith enough time catch some of the canines features. Just a second to long to note the way the male's shirt at the shoulder was stained. Darkened in the rain with a mixture of mud and possibly /blood/.

Seeping from an angry wound somewhere on the shorter male's body. exsposed carelessly from the stretched out collar of his shirt that had done little to securely protect it from the elements. Keith cringed, nose wrinkling at the bit he had seen.

Fuck....now what?

He couldn't push him away and morally feel good about it at the end of the day. Something irritable and cold stirred in his chest, familiar and smitefull. Crawling up from the depths of a past he liked to forget. Filled with cold nights and questionable intent from every direction. No solid ground. No strong figure to hold onto. Nobody. Only himself on one side of the line and the world on the other. 

The sky lit up again with another bolt of white light. Thunder beginning to rumble in the distance. His mind was decided. 

"Come on." Keith bluntly grunted, turning his back on the still frozen male to pluck up the few bags that had been spilled from the trash can. He righted the bin back up and stuffed the bags into it's open top before slamming the lid shut once more. Sealing it up tight so the water wouldn't seep in and make the trash nasty. Wiping his hands on his jeans carelessly Keith took a few steps back towards the front. Almost making it to the corner before it dawned on him that only one set of feet were sloshing in wet earth. The male turned back with a sigh. Blinking into the dark at the silhouette outlined by the flickering porch light hanging over the back fence. He hadn't moved. Looking uncertain at what it was he was exactly supposed to do if he could guess from the way the hybrid was standing stiff. Hands hidden in his own shape instead of hanging at his side's. Some more encouragement was probably a good idea there Kogane he scolded. Of course a stray wouldn't just waltz right along with a stranger without knowing that person's motives. Keith wouldn't that was for sure. So what would of made a potentially wounded companion do the same? So the lean male spun on his heel to walk back over to the boy. Whom of which tilted his head up to keep his gaze on Keith as he approached. Sure enough...he was tugging at the ends of his sleeves with nervousness and uncertainty. Troubled.

"You're uh, hurt so we're just going to go inside and take care of it. No..funny business." as he spoke he held his hand out to the boy with a short wave to try and entice him further out from his spot. "It's not good to leave it exsposed like that. It'll hurt more. Trust me..i've, had my fair share of wounds." He explained, cocking his head slightly to the side with bewilderment over why? None the less something in the canines demeanor straightened up. Perking with the words that were being spoken so unsteadily at him. "I'll even throw in a warm towel alright? You're not supposed to be wondering around anyways. Someone will find you sooner or later." The logic must of be sound -- 

Because sooner rather then moments of thought later the hybrid was inching forwards. Holding his hand out warily towards Keith's. Squinting into the dark as if he were testing for tricks from which Kogane provided none. He simply stood still.

"Trust me, okay?" he murmured, meeting the gaze of the smaller male to find an intense flare of hope in that look. Wanting to believe him yet having no other option but to do so lest he meet some other fate this early morning. Keith almost felt bad that, even being offered help the pup didn't really have much of a choice. It was either join a person in their home and hope to be treated, or walk away and wish for the best. Which wouldn't of been an end road that helped anyone. Swallowing, the companion finally took his hand. Locking their palms together with a cold vice grip. Good he sighed for the upmost time. Feeling an odd amount of relief at the fact that he had successfully won this lost boy over enough to at least come in and let him take a look at his wound. 

"This way.." he pulled at their connected hands softly to usher the boy along. His hands were so small compared to Keith's own he noted idly. Probably a knuckle or two shy at least. But then that was how companions tended to be. They never really grew much bigger then four feet depending on the breed. Canine types tended to he the biggest of the most commonly owned companions. Of course you had other more outlandish ones such as predatory types like wolf or tiger. But they were more exotix and unstable in the sense that their genetic make up fed them with to much wild. To much instinct. They were difficult to tame, but that's what gave them such an allure. People wanted them so they could have the pleasure of a good challenge. Control a fire that wasn't meant to be harbored and ordered around.

Keith lead him back around the corner of his and Shiro's house. Taking him across the driveway and up the short side walk to the shelter of their small porch. It was just big enough for him and Shiro to sit like a pair of old idiots and play each other in handhelds or cars games some mornings. When they were both off and bored out of their minds. It was so mundane sometimes that it was pathetic. Keith felt years tack onto his life everytime they whipped out their magic cards and snacked on this porch, wasting the mornings away. Digging out his keys from his jacket pocket, Keith shook the red markered one free from the others. Jabbing it into the lock and twisting it with a satisfying click.

"Shh.." he whispered, blinking down briefly with raised brows when the sound was mimicked back by the companion at his feet. Silly thing for being beaten up and soaked from the rain for who knows how long.

Keith slowly pushed the wooden door open, leaning in to see if there was any activity in the house first. Humorously enough, he could feel the companion do the same when a hand fisted itself into Keith's black slim fit jeans. A sniff or two cutting through the quiet hum of air conditioning. Naturally curious, like his animal counterpart. It was better then the boy being fearful and nervous over even following much less being allowed to. That anxiety ridden stance from before gone in the light of the hybrid's wonder of a new environment.

Keith led them in with a faint breath, closing the door behind them it quietly even as it quickly became clear that he wasn't the only one awake in the house.

"Take your sandals off, alright? Don't want to get the carpet wet.." He whispered, kicking off his shoes and using his wet socked feet to push them towards the wall. Sliding them in place beside Shiro's set of shoes. The hand clasped in his own tightened for balance as the pup did the same. Wiggling each foot out of his muddy shoes and leaving them where they fell. Separate from his and Shiro's he realized. "I'll go grab you a...towel."

A light flicked on, cutting out the flickering blue buzz of the living room TV and replacing it's glow with a bright yellow. Lighting up the hall that branched off further into the house.

"You're home late Keith -- " Shiro started, coming around the corner and into the foyer of their shared house only to pause.

Whatever he'd been about to say dropping off with a surprised silence at the sight of their new guest. Whom of which had shimmied his way behind Keith as the man turned to face Shiro. Well, here we go the ravenette thought. Raising his shoulders up with a nice inhale, before exhaling to collect himself. Was he nervous? Not so much. Shiro wasn't so heartless that he'd turn someone away when they were in need. It was just the extra weight of another person being added into this already scrambled equation. Like he was standing here waiting for his father to judge a pet he brought home. A project.

"Uh, who is that?" his brother questioned, and Keith sort of shrugged helplessly. Running a gloved hand through his wet raven locks to sheepishly push his bangs back and out of his face. A nervous fidget of his. "A stray?"  Shiro rose a brow up. An obvious invitation to continue his vague explanation before making any kind of move. So Keith cleared his throat, ignoring the flush palm that still gripped so tightly at his own. A second holding onto his jeans once again.

"Sable was making a fucking - " 

"Language."

" - freaking! Ruckus in our yard when I pulled up. Throwing a tantrum about some stray being after her companion because you know. She's in heat?" Shiro crossed his arms, leaning into the wall just shy of the living room door frame. Looking like an unimpressed parent about to get the news that their kid caused another bout at school. There was a reason why Shiro was the dad friend he thought with a hint of amusement before clearing his throat to continue. "Point is, I sent her away and this guy knocked over our trash bin. He's hurt I think, so I couldn't just chase him off."  At the mentioning of there being a wound involved Shiro stepped forwards. Any ploy of mock judging mode shifting into an entirely new form of dad state when his face masked over with concern. The movement cause the companion at Keith's side to jolt back a little. Big blue eyes boring into Shiro with unabashed inquisition. He didn't seem as stressed at the man's hulking form when Shiro crouched down, just timid with his soft frown. Demeanor sinking into a thoughtful, patient stance like before in the grassy ally. Keith couldn't help but wonder if it was because he obviously showed signs of knowing Shiro in front of the companion? Or that his brothers warm leader like persona gave off enough of a cozy aura to keep the boy calmer. Whatever the case he was almost mildly annoyed. Of course, automatically trust Shiro. 

It couldn't be helped though. That's, just how the man was whether he meant to come across as that kind of person or not. It was hard not to fall into step with Shiro when everything about his older brother commanded respect while radiating a welcoming sort of warmth. It was both a folly and a strength of his. Keith hadn't opened up so thoroughly to anyone before he had met Shiro. Having little trust in the stability of people and not having the will to put effort into forming ties. Yet it was only a single summer of being neighbors, Keith being in a foster home at the time, before Shiro had him cracked open like a nut. Figured out. He was thankful about that though. Glad that Shiro had the patience for things like his difficult personality because that summer, in his eleventh year was a life changing one.  Shiro had convinced his parents to give Keith a chance and they all clicked just like that. It turned out that his adoptive mother had gone sterile after having ovarian cancer that she luckily survived from. But her and his father had become unsettled with the lack of building their perfect domesticated dream life. So they had scooped Keith up and taken him as their own pup so to speak. 

"Can I see it?" the man asked firmly, voice steady yet soft in the way that you would speak to a child on the brink of tears. Not wavering as the hybrid blinked between them. Looking unsure at the new request.

"Remember when I told you I'd look at that wound?" Keith spoke up, meeting the companion's stare when it jumped up to his own violet eyes. The boy considered that for a moment, teeth nawing on his lower lip as the cogs in his head turned. Screwing together to create anxiousness. Now that they were in the light? He was able to absorb some of the companion's build now. All legs and wide shoulders, with petite hips and strong looking hands that were splotched with a mixture of mud and natural coloring from whatever breed of canine he was. The hybrid's skin was darker then both of the male's. Rich caramel that was only a few shades off from the dark chocolate tone of his messy brown hair. Sitting atop his head were a pair of equally brown pair of ears. Definitely of the dog variety with the way they were flipped forwards, blending in with his mop of hair. From here he could see the tale tale patches of coffee cream that speckled the boy's right ear like freckles. The same off color tipped the end of a down curled tail. The dripping appendage being tucked slightly between bare knees as Shiro patiently waited for the boy to decide what it was he wanted to do. The hybrid's shirt was definitely stained with red. Concentrated at the curve of the canine's neck where the throat and shoulder met. The water had caused the color to fan out, leaving varying rings of pink that soiled the old looking baseball T he was clothed in. It'd be lucky if a good wash for that out. The stain had darkened into a deep brown. A sign of old blood and mess that stuck out like an ugly thumb.

"I'll get you that warm towel okay?" Keith spoke up suddenly when the stray twisted at the bottom of his shirt in obvious discomfort. Looking like a skittish doe in the eyes of a hunter. The hybrid's head shot up to look at the ravenette, ears flicking from the action. Recognition lit up his ocean blue eyes and with a clipped breath the shorter nodded. "But you have to get patched up first so you don't bleed on the towel like your shirt." he added in, doing his damnedest to ignore the way Shiro was looking at him. Probably with that surprised brotherly gleam of his. Like he use to get when Keith had everything rolling. New exactly what he wanted and had planned how to get there. Dreams die hard though.

"Okay." 

Both men blinked at the simple word that left the stray dogs mouth. Glancing between each other and then back again as the boy started to pull at his shirt. Taking it off slowly and mindfully to avoid brushing at his shoulder as much as possible. It wasn't uncommon that companions knew how to fluently speak and read English or any mother language that they were born to. They were independently smart and clever in their own right much like the pets they were modeled after. Only at a level of intelligence that was higher then your average farm animal. Many people in this day and age owned and bred companions for varying reasons. Even if you didn't actively go out of your way to teach them how to at least speak they would learn on their own. Companions were adaptable. Meant to mingle with any culture and race, thrive on nurturing and live for being a pleasure to their masters. In the most platonic sense of the word. But some? Weren't as fortunate as to have an easy life with their owners. Just like any coin there was an ugly flip side. Keith didn't want to entertain the idea of how the boy had gotten hurt as he shed the majority of his wet clothes as well.

Dropping off his jacket first, followed shortly by his shirt and sopping pants. Where they mingled on the tile with the dirty shirt of the companion.  Shiro audibly gulped.  It was a nasty bite, or three. Pretty bad looking now that it was out in the open for them both to see. The skin around the punctures were a bright red that faded out into a mix of pink and purple the further out it got from the initial wound. Bruising, dark and blue surrounded the area in it's dead center from the trauma of the wound. But even worse then that was the sickly green that tinted at the open teeth marks. It was infected, that much was obvious if the short lived veiny lines of red that branched out in random patterns wasn't enough of a hint. Shiro clucked his tongue at the sight. Looking disturbed as he lifted his cool grey eyes up to meet the wary violet hues of Keith. 

He needs medical attention. 

"Can I touch around the area?" Shiro asked, breaking away from their shared look as Keith gathered up his and the hybrid's wet clothes wordlessly. The companion scratched at his arm in a fidget but nodded. Giving Shiro permission to feel the skin around the aching wound. He did so with careful fingers as Keith gathered up their wet clothes into his arms. Hovering anxiously on the edge of his feet. His nature to rush was tickling at him to move. Do something quickly. But this? Would require patience he winced. The boy yelping quietly when Shiro touched a little to close on accident. "Sorry, kiddo. I know its probably tender.." Shiro apologized, pulling away his hand and rested it on his knee, looking back up to the younger male with a deep set frown.

"It's hot Keith. Really hot." the man explained, "He's pretty flushed in the face too. So I think he's starting to run a fever."

Which meant nothing good at all. Keith knew that from common sense alone. They needed to get him to a clinic as quickly as possible to get the wound cleaned out properly and cared for. Otherwise something like an infection would become lethal. There was no point it letting it reach that level when there was good medicine out there. On anyone's account. It made him wonder how long the boy had been out on the streets for it to get this bad? "Alright, uh let me see if I can find him something to wear and we can get out of here." Keith commented, crouching just at the boys side with a softened look.

"Hey..im going to grab you some things, and I'll be right back." he assured, feeling the strong need to do so before he just left his side. The hybrid had been so quick to attach himself after the initial scare. Not that he didn't have anything to worry about by leaving him with Shiro. The man didn't have a cold bone in his body one unless someone pushed it out of him after a great deal of trying. But he figuredit'd make it easier on his brother if he took a second to explain to the canine what they were doing. So the smaller didn't get fearful and run the chance of hurting either himself or one of them if he struggled. The companion processed for a second, before bobbing his head in another nod. "..okay."

Satisfied, Keith stood up and eased past the two of them. Making a beeline for the bathroom in the hall that their bedrooms shared. "Get the first aid kit ready for me? I'm going to try and clean this before we go!" His brother called, earning a roll of the eyes as he flicked on the light to the washroom. Lighting the space up.

This was going to turn into a longer night then he anticipated. But the exhaustion of the day was gone. Now replaced with the trickling stream of concern and adrenaline.

Wound infections could cause all kinds of problems if left untreated. From things like fevers, sickness to a great deal of pain. If it was allowed to get any worse then that. Given the chance to spread into the blood stream? The infection could easily kill a grown human being. Much less a body that was small, where it wouldn't take long to spread.

Keith opened the closet hidden behind the door. Digging one of his fresh towels from the second shelf with his unoccupied hand and taking it across the short hallway to a pair of sliding doors. He pushed them apart, pulling open the dryer top and dropping the red towel inside. Once he'd set it to a medium dry setting he let the lid slip shut before repeating the process by dumping the wet clothes into the washing machine to wash later on. Before he even made the move to find fresh clothes Keith went back into the bathroom and dug out the first aid kit from underneath their shared counter space. He could hear Shiro talking quietly from down the hallway. Murmuring little explanations to the process they were going through while the ravenette cleared a spot on tbe counter top for the kit. Keith snagged a spare towel for himself and vacated the room. Crossing the hall just as his older brother walked into the bathroom, guiding a cautious if not curious companion. Head tilting this way and that to take in everything. At least, the boy had landed in their yard he thought. No longer bothered by the fact that his plans were a royal bust. Keith would of severely regretting taking the easy route by calling the police. This hybrid was just lost. Probably meant no harm outside of his clumsy sniffing about for food he could guess. He didn't want to entertain the idea of this pup being dragged into the back of the authorities vehicle to be taken off to some government run clinic while being scared and afraid of where he'd end up after that. Maybe that was the conspiracy theorist in him, but fuck that shit.

Keith didn't miss the way the boy cranned his head to look back at him. Eyes gleaming through their half lidded state with something that he didn't recognize upon finding the ravenettes gaze with his own. Innocent. Why was it always the seemingly innocent ones who ended up with the shitty end of the stick he thought with a sense of bitterness. Working the corner of his mouth up in a small smile. It was answered with a little waggle of the hybrid's cream tipped tail. Flicking water droplets in its absent minded motion. What had a companion like this done to earn a badly dealt hand that landed him bitten up and abandoned? Eventually it'd come into the light for someone but regardless, Keith had a feeling that such a story wasn't a very light hearted one. They never were when you were the victim of abandonment. He knew that first hand.

Nodding his head in a form of ushering the companion turned and followed Shiro into the bathroom. Connected at the hands just like they had been when Keithhad first led the small male inside the house. Tossing the towel over his head to cover his moppy hair, the man scrubbed at it softly with one hand. Extending the second to pop open the door to his room. Waltzing across the distance to his computer desk to turn on the floor lamp that stood beside it. Alright, all he had to do..was find something that the boy could probably fit into?

Keith wasn't a large or particularly built person. He was a short five' seven for his age. Slim in form, but dense in weight. Thick through and through from nothing but lean muscle due to working on his athletics along with Shiro and his 'buddy' Allura. The only soft thing about his moderate form were the embarrassing, subtle curve in his hips and his hands. Everything else was smooth, firm and had some shape in one way or another. It came from following such a set routine after so long. That woman was a slave driver, but he was glad to have that push.

Shaking out of his thoughts, Keith swung open his closet door. Pulling out a pair of joggers for himself that were black in color with an accented pair of red stripes on the right leg that only ran down to the thigh. He picked a simple red tank top and slid that on over his bare chest. Mimicking the process via tossing his wet boxer briefs in favor of slipping on a new pair followed by his comfy joggers. Now...to just dig up something that the other male could try and wear. That required sliding all of his hangers aside. Going into the deep dark depths of his older clothes that were usually tucked away in the far left side. He wasn't much of a hoarder, but when it came to clothes Keith liked to hold onto them as long as possible. Why throw out a good shirt if it was still decent? His wondering hand coasted across a few shirts before landing on a small one that he'd gotten from an expo in his first summer after high school. A congratulatory outting that Pidge, Hunk and himself had gone on. It was tight on him now thanks to him having filled out since then, but hopefully it's sit snug in the canine boy. So he drapped the night crawler short over his arm. Along with another pair of briefs from the chest of sturdy plastic drawers he kept in the center of his walk in closet. Just for extra measure he grabbed a thin jacket to try and help protect the small male from the weather on the way before closing up shop. Turning the light back off and going back out to see how Shiro was fairing.

Not, to great. Shiro had gotten the companion to sit up on the toilet lid while he had carefully laid out everything needed to clean out the bites.

"Do you want me to call Allura?" he piped up, squeezing through the doorway to set the spare clothes he'd picked out for the companion on the counter space closer to the wall. Said male sat quietly where he'd been left, obediently keeping still. Though his shocking blue orbs followed Keith motions. He hadn't noticed how...deep they really were until the small canine was under the proper lighting. Two ocean hues sat perfect in the center of a sea of freckles. A few here and there were visible from his spot against the doorway. But if was the look of tired questioning that stared back from which held Keith's attention. Shadowed by purple bruise from either stress or a lack of sleep, though probably both in the companions current predicament. Awkwardly, he quirked his lips up in a crooked smile. Small as the action was? The stray perked in response. The end of his tail flipping in a short lived wag before falling flat on his lap once again.

"I'll call her here in a second. Hopefully she's in the mood to meet us up there and take a look at this.." Shiro sighed, reading the label a simple bottle of peroxide twice. There was a subtle shake in the man's usually sturdy hand. Keith nodded in response, meeting his adoptive brothers gaze within the mirror when this grey eyes finally looked up. Wearing a green complexion. Right.."I'll take over if you want to go ahead.." he offered quietly, leaving the statement to hand softly between them. Shiro...and blood? Didn't mix anymore. Not every since...

"Yeah okay. That's fine." the man agreed after a heavy pause, setting the bottle down with care before he ducked out of the room. Taking the air of pint up stress with him. Keith bit his cheek. Something should be said, something more then what he had. But he knew that the simple gesture of taking on the doctoring task was enough for Shiro. So he didnt pry beyond that when a door down the hall closed with a gentle click. Leaving the two of them alone with this dreaded sense of regret. It was still a sore subject, even after having put two years behind them since the incident.

"Okay, my turn." he spoke softly, turning back to his new found job. The coppery skinned canine nodded meekly before his attention settled down on his bare feet. Rubbing his toes together in a fidget. Taking the patient compliance as a sign to go ahead Kogane made quick work of washing his hands in the sink to sterilize them. Being generous with the anti bacterial soap and taking the time to scrub his nails against soapy palms to make sure they were thoroughly cleaned as well. He wouldn't dare touch the wound other wise and risk making it worse then it already was. Because now that he really had a chance to take it in? It was pretty nasty looking. The punctures were actively leaking a clear fluid that was tinted faint pink. Mixing in with heavy flakes of green that, didn't exactly smell like a garden of pretty roses. The entire area looked swollen and incredibly disturbed under the fluorescent lighting. Red and angry from neglect, the skin was tight. Raw from the fluid that was probably trapped underneath the splotches of black and blue from bruising. He didn't want to entertain the explanation for the bite marks. Not right now when his mind could wonder, conjuring up any number of probably drastic imagery. Keith always had had an over active mind.

"That's..pretty bad." he commented, drying his hands on the purple rag that hung from a hook by the light switch. The hybrid didnt say anything verbally in response but his deflating body language was enough. His head had begun to droop along with the wilting of those floppy ears and the down tilt of his tail. It could of been from the flush of an on coming fever like Shiro presumed. But the guilty tilt of the boys brows said other wise.

"Its okay." He started, grabbing a clothe from the kit. Picking up the bottle of peroxide to wet the sterile clothe with it. "Shiro, he's not a big fan of blood and guts like he use to be. It's not your fault." Keith assured, moving over to crouch on his knees in front of the male. The boy had wrinkled his nose, eyeing the medicated scent of the damp rag he had splayed out across his hand. Still avoiding Keith's gaze. The ravenette sighed, lifting his hand up a little.

"Its going to burn. But it'll clean that bite out so we can wrap it up." he explained, noting the subtle shakes that were vibrated the companion's body. Right, he was probably cold now that they had him stripped down to his underwear in the controlled temperature of their house.

"When I get done cleaning it I'll go get that towel for you okay?" he didn't move until the other gave him another small nod. Chest heaving with the inhale of a deep breath to ready himself. Keith began. Dabbing at the wounds to wipe any dirt and grime away from it. The boy whined deep in his throat. Fingers digging crescent moons into the bare flesh of his knees as they bobbed. He tried to be gentle, making sure to apply only a minimal amount of pressure as he worked. As expected disturbing the marks made them bleed again. Dribbling a mixture of red and clear fluid that smelled sharp in the small place. Keith tried not to make a face. Pressing the towelette against the wound and holding it there so the peroxide could fizzle properly and do it's job.

"Let that sit there for a second. I'll be right back." he explained, finding the incredible urge to not listen to his own words when the hybrid's head lifted with eyes wide. Glossing over from sudden fear? Keith swallowed and stood. Turning his back on the boy without another word to go back out into the hall and stop the dyer. Digging out the freshly fluffed towel. There was no point in making the canine freeze to death and he'd promised after all.

Shiro had yet to come back out of his room just yet. So the man put it off a little longer to return to the boy's side again.

Swinging the towel around the pup's shivering form so it was wrapped about his thin middle. Holding the ends together until the other caught on and held it together loosely around his body on his own in a way that left his shoulders bare.

"There you go, buddy." he hummed stiffly, "I'm going to splash this shit onto your shoulder one more time and then we'll put some major bandaids on. It'll hurt like hell, but I'll hurry." no point in sugar coating it now. The canine male seemed to understand as much by now however. Sitting perfectly still if you didn't count the way his hands dug into the warm towel drapped over his lap. Steeling himself for another round.

"Atta boy." He cooed softly, taking his own breath before splashing the medication over the wound. The reaction was immediate. The pup cried out in pain, going rigid all over and nipping at his lip with a whimper. Blood and yuck ran freely with the medicated wash into the waiting towelette that had previously been used. Keith shushed him quietly as he moved onto grabbing a fresh one, unfolding it quickly so he could dab at the excess mess around the punctures until he was satisfied that it was sanitary enough to go ahead and put a bandage on. Carefully, Keith tore open a fresh package of gauze and laid it out. Uncapping a tube of antibiotic cream that had been left forgotten on the counter first however.

"This'll ease that burn down." he explained idly, frowning with sympathy over the hasty bob of the boy's head as he nodded quickly with understanding. Eyes still squeezed shut. Squirting out generous globs directly onto the wound he carefully rubbed it in just enough to cover the effected areas. Purposely leaving it piled on the torn skin while he unraveled the gauze enough to begin wrapping. The companion didn't move, obediently sitting still. But the occasional wet sniffle broke the silence. There was no openly sobbing when Keith stole a glance, just stubborn tears brimming those deep blues.

"... just have to tie it off here.." he mumbled out, wrapping the last of the roll around a final time before holding it down on the companion's bicep. Hooking the small metal butterfly clasps into the gauze he pulled it tight and huffed with satisfaction at his job. That'd be good enough for now at least until they could have Allura look at it properly. Whether that be here in the next thirty minutes or a couple of hours when the clinic opened up at seven am on its own.

"Better?" Keith asked softly, watching the way the boy slowly opened his eyes to inspect his newly wrapped shoulder with a closed off and neutral sort of expression. He was probably in a terrible amount of pain. So the ravenette didn't take the lack of enthusiasm to heart.

The smaller boy swallowed, pulling his warm towel up to cover a majority of his body now. Putting a small amount of effort into giving him a tired smile that lasted but a second before it fell again. Keith internally kicked the bucket with relief. There was a reason why Shiro was in charge of the first aid kit. Keith wasn't as good at being a nurturing mother bear like his brother, but he was adequate enough to handle some things on his own. Getting into trouble throughout his life kind of gave you expierence enough to handle scuffs and bruises.

"Do you want to get dressed? I grabbed you some of my old clothes. They'll uh..probably be to big, but they're dry anyways. Do you think you can do that?" Keith doubted it, but the companion gave another confirming nod anyways. Looking down at the very short distance between his toes and the rug on the floor before Shimmying off the toilet seat. Ignoring the way the ravenette kept his hands hovering just encase. It turned out that the companion was still able to stand on his own, for how much longer he didn't know. With the infection being this bad he was probably running with a good headache and all the nasty side effects of getting a fever. Fatigue, nausea, shakes, cold flashes. The works.

Keith stood up, stretching out to drag the clothes from the counter top. Handing the hybrid the dry replacements in pieces. Turning a blind eye on the little thing when he gave the man an almost shy glare when it finally came down to exchanging wet shorts for dry boxer briefs. Luckily Shiro called from the hall at that point so Keith took the chance to direct his attention away with a flurry of embarrassment for being chasted by a dog.

"Allura is going to meet us at the clinic. She said if he is already running a fever that it's urgent that we get this taken care of quickly."

"Makes sense. It's pretty damn nasty." He responded, standing up and hurriedly picking up the mess. Throwing away paper trash and the bottle of ointment along with it. Making quick work of putting away the cleaning supplies back into the kit in their rightful places. Shiro passed by the open door, looking pale but more collected now that he was fully dressed and with his car keys in hand.

"I'm going to go get the car warmed up. Meet me there and we'll get going." There was a small tug at his joggers and Keith looked down.

"Thanks Shiro. We'll be just a sec." As literally as he could manage anyways. The companion was definitely looking more worn out, thinned. Lids falling half way closed as he held the towel carelessly in hand, letting it pool on the ground beside his feet.

"Come on. We're leaving." he mumbled, grabbing the spare jacket and getting down on his knees to very carefully work the boys arms into the sleeves for him. The pup hissed in protest when it came to his wounded shoulder though. So Keith only draped the jacket over it. Zipping the deep grey hoodie up tight and pulling the hood down over his still damp head.

"...say, do you have a name I can call you? So I don't ah, keep referring to you as dog mentally anyways." He asked, wrapping the towel back around the boy like a cloak. For extra protection he mused, holding his hands out with question. Once again the male picked up on his unspoken hint and held his good arm up. Keith picked him up carefully, trying to adjust him in his arms without causing the hybrid to much pain so that his charge was resting on his hip. It wasn't until he had turned off the lights as they went and got to the door that Keith got his answer in the form of a winded mumble that fell softly over his shoulder.

"..Lance - " Keith quirked a brow, moving his gaze over to look at the smaller through his periphials. Lance huh?

"I'm Keith." he responded, wedging his feet into a pair of old flip flops that's only purpose as of late were to get him from the house to the store and back on lazy days. He usually sported vans or converse. Basic white boy shoes as his friend Pidge commented even though they wore them as well. Hypocrite.

"Keith.."

"Yeah. That's right. You're safe with me, Lance."


	2. Altea Companion Care Clinic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thank the heavens above for Allura's passion.

**Altea Companion Care Clinic**

* * *

 

 

The drive to the Altea clinic was short considering the lack of traffic that was on the roads. Lucky for them, the city didn't come alive until seven in the morning when people got out to start the day. Lance hadn't talked much, opting to sit curled up in a fetal position on Keith's lap after stubbornly refusing to let go of his jacket and sit buckled in the back.

It might of been for the best. The boy was fatigued. Perspiration collecting at his temples from the heightening temperature of his small form. Keith had to keep an arm wrapped around his form to prevent the hybrid from losing balance as he leaned against the his chest like that. Knees drawn and tail curled over bare feet neatly that dug into Keith's thigh uncomfortably. Actually all of him sort of carved into him. Bony for his nimble frame..but that's what roaming around on your own did to you. It thinned you out. Didn't matter if you were capable enough to find scraps, it seemed to happen regardless. Keith had run away from his second foster home for a short three days and he had lost a chunk of his own body weight because of it. The companion would fill out eventually though with proper care. Healthy meals issued out in moderate portions at first to ease him back in. A good week of that and he'd be alright and on his way.

Tsk.. now he was sounding like the doctor.

By the time Shiro turned into the parking lot and pulled up under the over hang meant for emergency drop offs at the Clinic, Allura was already waiting for them. She opened the door for Keith as he readjusted Lance into his arms, more bridal style this time, and quickly ushered them inside the empty building. Vacant of any bustling activity if you didn't count the buzzing movements of the over night desk clerk who was up and scuttling along after them. Wearing an infectious sense or urgency to offer help in even the smallest manners. Acting as the runner by jogging ahead to open a path to an operating room that Allura had pre-prepared for the hybrid pup. The rushing about made Keith incredibly nervous. He knew that it was important they get this fixed as quickly as possible, but he couldn't help but chew at his cheek in wonder over just how bad the companion's...ern, Lance's condition really was. Surely it hadn't reached such a point that he'd stay down from it right?

As much as he wanted to pry he didn't dare ask. Not while the boy had any inkling of consciousness left in him. Keith didn't want to scare the living shit out of Lance any further then what he already was anyways. The companion had easily picked up on the clashing moods of fret and worry on his own by the way they were moving with quickened paces. Something was wrong. A small hand tightened it's way into his jacket and Keith looked down. Sparing him an equally worried glance and a brief, stiff grin as Shiro guided him inside the operating room. All the while talking to Allura about the hybrid's behaviour currently. A vague way of explaining his worsening condition if Keith had ever heard one.

"You'll be fine. She's going to help you.." Keith mumured lowly, keeping his violet brown eyes locked on Lance's hazy blue ones until he was prompted to set the male down on the cushioned table.

From there?

It became a waiting game.

Keith and Shiro were only allowed to stay in the room while Allura gave the boy injections to numb the area throughout the span of his shoulder for procedure. Each one got a tiny flinch, ocean eyes squeezing shut and fingers digging so deeply into the material of Keith's jacket that he almost thought it would tear. It probably was painful to have needles piercing the skin of a wounded area that was already swollen, tender, and throbbing. But Lance sat quietly the whole time under the soft assurances coming from Allura and Keith's hand that lay resting over the pup's other one. Once the area was good and deadened to touch she kindly asked if they could wait in the hallway for them to finish. It took a decent amount of coaxing for him to detach himself from the death grip the companion had on him. But as soon as they were seperated the two men were shuffled into the empty hall to wait. Keith didn't miss the way the hybrid had leaned out from the bedside to watch before the door was shut. It made him feel...guilty for leaving him in there. But logically he knew that he would only get in the way if he was so it was probably better this way. 

Even if the occasional whine could be heard through the door.

Which proved to make it alot harder to, well stand still and relax. Patience was not one of Keith's strong suits. He nearly lived by the motto 'leap before you think' much to Shiro's disagreement over the fact. It was how all of their both wild, and terrible adventures usually began. Starting out from a basic outlined plan for an evening that eventually branched off into a string of spontaneous incidents. That was the best way to do it though if you asked Keith. It always made things interesting and unpredictable. Stress free to an extent if you thought about it in a light where keeping a timed schedule was none existent. You didn't feel rushed if you didn't know where you were going yet. His usally take on handling things didn't help in this instance however. Which is why he was nipping at his already short cut finger nails in a definite sign of worrying.

It'd never been a standing habit for Keith, just a fidget when he was stressed out and lost in his own thoughts.

The ravenette wasn't even sure what they were going to do after this was all over. If it were anyone else they might if never even come into the clinic. One could of just as easily passed the hybrid off to Allura and left without another word. But Shiro and Keith were different. Despite their intimidating appearances their chests were full of compassion. Maybe, Keith's was a little different in comparison to Shiro who was the more level headed of the two. But it was the thought that counted right?

..and his thoughts were dangerously entertaining the idea of what was going to happen to Lance if it turned out he didn't have an owner to claim him.

Logically, the companion would probably be given room and board here until someone decided to scoop him up. Facility or otherwise. Which given Lance's nature? Probably wouldn't take as long as one might think. The companion was a mix of canine. Warm and rich in tan colors that were speckled with sandy browns. He was obedient, wary with reason but willing to listen and trust easily enough. He could of been clumsy if Keith had to judge the boy on his knocking of the trash cans over, but he couldn't.

If anything those eyes.

Those deep, vivid ocean blue eyes would catch any person in their right minds attention in seconds flat. They were...dare he say, beautiful. Like looking into the clearest pools of water straight out of an HD documentary on aquatic life. Bright with intelligence. Pure from the hope in them despite his..situation. That stray, Lance, had no doubt been through some shit already. The product of cross breeding to make an unfortunate mutt mix just speaking in theory here. Pure bred companions were always sought out and revered. Stocky and healthy with pretty coats. But Lance looked like he'd been born the runt amongst his litter. Being no higher then Keith's hip bone. At some point he'd probably been sold off to a willing master who he doubted was very good at caring for the companion otherwise they wouldn't be here right now.

Or, was this his possible second..third, or even forth visit? Was the companion a reject?

A breed that was cute to look at but unwanted when it came down to the specifics. It made his nerves crawl. Because Keith had been there.

He _knew_ what it was like to go unwanted by anyone. Bounced around without anyone to turn to. No one to rely on and nothing that you could safely call as your own. You didn't always get to keep things you were either given or worked to buy on your own when you were still young enough to be worked by the system. Sorted out by comparable numbers that were favorable to something a potential parent was interested in. It wasn't fair. It just...it was cruel and harsh. Growing up like that.

"Keith."

The man jerked around at the sound of his name, thumb nail caught between his teeth as his brows curved with an instinctive glare. His string of thoughts dropped with a heavy thud, stirring up dust from his old problems.

"Huh?"

Shiro sighed, patting his hand on the simple chair beside him from where he had chosen to sit at some point. Inviting Keith to take a seat with a soft expression that pleaded for him to oblige. To calm down and stop his absent minded pacing back and forth in front of the door. It probably made his brother anxious, so Keith complied and sat. Moving over to plop down onto his rump with an exasperated sigh in the surprisingly cozy chair. It was plastic sure, but it curved around his frame well.

The two men were quiet for a while. Listening to each other breath as the central heating and air unit ran with a distant hum. Keeping the air from becoming completely dead silent. Shiro finally cleared his throat, letting his head rest back against the wall in time with the thud of Keith's own scalp on the wall. Both of them blinked up boyishly at the ceiling.

"It's been a while since I've seen you worked up enough to revert back to nail biting." Shiro smirked, giving a tired chuckle when he caught Keith pulling his hand away from his mouth quickly. The younger opting to instead stuff them both into the pockets of his black jacket.

"Sorry..im uh, worried actually. This is hah, kind of nerve wracking." He admitted, huffing out a nervous little breath of laughter. A puff of air that was more stiff and anxious then humored right now.

"Ah.." Shiro grunted.

Of course he was nervous. He wasn't as robotic as to not feel some sense of the emotion after finding a stray who had wounds that were left from a struggle by the looks of it. To a certain extent, that companion was his responsibility. Besides if he had to come out and admit to any one thing then maybe...just a little bit, he saw some of himself in that boy. A reflection of the past that he both loathed to leave behind yet needed as a crucial part to who he really was now. Keith had very few keys to unlock the unanswered secrets of his origins. It use to bother him when he was kid. Going through the days having no right idea of where he came from because his birth father had little answers to give. Sometimes it still did bother him. Not knowing who his mother was because she had just disappeared from all levels of existence. Almost as wordlessly as his father one sunny afternoon. Keith had been four when his father left for a 'brief' trip. But he never came back to their dusty little cabin and eventually someone had reported him when they caught him wondering around one of the grocery stores they frequented alone and without his father in tow.

From there it was just one bad incident after another. He was bullied for being small and odd in both complexion and eye color. Out casted amongst the other children and his shy nature hadn't made adjusting to frequent changes easy either.

But he was a 'pretty' child, obedient. Potential adoptees liked that about him so he was scooped up by quite a few families in hid time. But in the end something always happened and his true nature was dragged into the light. His wild and abrasive, temperamental personality that always got him in trouble when things made him feel like he was being backed into a corner. He hadn't always been returned back to the orphanage to deal with his case worker because of something he did. Keith understood that now, but when he was younger he hadn't been able to comprehend why someone would just give him up when things had been going so well. When he had been acting like a good child and was hitting all of the high marks. Money was tight though.

Raising a child that needed a little extra care was difficult. Moving across country to new jobs, or growing sick with a terminal Illness couldn't be helped. It wasn't one of his favorite foster mother's fault for suddenly being diagnosed with breast cancer. It wasn't that same father's fault that he'd had to take a job out of state to be closer to a world renowned hospital and afford it at the same time. But when your just a seven year old child all you wanted was to stay. To be desired. Have stability and know that you belonged. Fit in _somewhere_. It'd taken a great deal of hurts to find his place in the world. So when he came across this stray. Looking lost in the rain. Compliant to command and scared to trust that the promise of help was legitimate it all clicked back into place for him again. Accepting something as simple as being given assistance was hard and nerve wracking when you didn't even know if that person was going to be around when your eyes opened again.

"What're you thinking about?" Shiro asked, breaking the tense silence after a moment. Drawing Keith out of his thoughts with a snort as he lifted his head. Shrugging his shoulders up in a casual manner despite the furrowed look to his face.

"Where do you think he'll go if he doesn't have someone to claim him..?"

"You can ask Allura, but I'm pretty positive they get filtered into a system of their own that matches them with searching owners based off of their compatibility. Why?" Shiro's words only solidified his train of thought. In other words, Lance was going to be given an ID and put under the care of the government until someone decided he was good enough for their home. Keith frowned, tilting his chin forwards until he was staring down at his shoes. Bobbing the heel of it against the tile softly, agitated.

"I don't want that for him.." he admitted after a moment, catching Shiro shift beside him out of his peripheral vision. The other man was looking at him now but with what kind of expression he couldn't really tell.

"So what're you thinking of doing hot shot? Do you want to ask her how this works if there isn't someone to come claim him as their lost companion?" Shiro questioned, noting the way the other deflated with a heavy sigh. Keith eventually gave a firm nod. Seemingly making up his mind after a few ticks.

"Yeah. I do. I have no clue as to how to take care of a companion? But I don't want him to have to go through the same shit I did before you." Keith stated, firm and determined in tone now. There was no arguing against the man when he had made up his mind and fully got behind his choices. Shiro had learned that from the get go. All you could do was offer support, be there with steady hands in case Keith fell to hard but the likelihood of that was slim. The male boy might trip, but he never stayed down for long. He had always been so quick to jump back onto his feet and dust himself off. Like it'd never happened to begin with.

"You know that whatever you choose to do, I'll be behind you." Shiro said, sounding like the leader figure that he was in Keith's otherwise chaotic world. He nodded quietly to himself, finally tilting his head enough to give the older man an appreciative smile. Shiro had always been that support system that he had needed in his life. The guidance that had gone missing for so many years. The man was his brother, maybe not by blood but by fate. The universe had paid him it's due and brought him this man who was so solid and so confident. Wise despite only being a few years older then Keith, it always seemed like the male knew what to do. It was unfortunately only a few years back that he was able to repay Shiro for everything he had done by being there for him when he was falling apart after a sunny afternoon that was supposed to be hyped with good news. Not crunching metal, screeching tires, screaming people, and pain..

"Thanks Shiro." he murmured genuinely as they relapsed into a comfortable silence for a while. Content to dwell on their own thoughts while they waited on Allura to remake her appearance. It was comfortable abalt anxious from the whole situation, but it gave him enough time to recall what he had missed the chance to ask earlier. Keith gradually turns his head. Subtle in nature so he can sneak peeks at Shiro's appearance. The man doesn't look near as pale as he had when he'd pushed out of the bathroom like an animal running from a room it had been trapped in. He didn't hold this..shaken demeanor anymore. As relieving as it was to note the color in his olive complexion and the wakefulness in his features he knew that deep under the surface there was a turmoil that was probably grinding him up about it.

"How are you holding up?" he asked, clearing his throat to gain the floor again so to speak. Shiro let out a ridiculously long sigh, chin dropping down to take in his hands. Both flesh, and prosthetic. He flexed them slowly. Closing them each in turn as his brows knit together with something dark before relaxing again.

"I'm fine now. I guess, I wasn't as ready as I thought." the man admitted, quietly but with a shushed truth and the way he refused to look up? Told of underling shame. Keith clucked his tongue, turning to face his brother who in turn looked up through a side glance. Brows raised slightly.

"I know its been two years, but if you're still..having trouble with it then you are. You don't have to bottle that crap up. I..couldnt even imagine.." what it must of been like to make the decision to loose your arm for me. The words were left drifting between them, but they were still as clear as day.

"Point, it's been two years and I'm still holding onto it. Everything is fine now. We're okay - " Keith stood suddenly, ignoring the vertigo that hit him from doing so as he moved to stand in front of his brother.

"We're still recovering, Shiro." He insisted firmly, nor sharp enough to be cruel or even loud enough to yell. But it was firm and confident. Just like his violet brown eyes that bore into the stormy grey ones of the man sitting before him. "We are still recovering and that's _fine_. Don't waste your energy worrying about what other people think. It's on you and me. We can get over it. It just, takes time to do it." he explained, "I can't even remember most of the crash and it _still_  bothers me in my sleep. What...what I'm trying to say is, it's fine to not be okay still. A little bit anyways ...and you're right. We are okay, everything is fine. So don't make problems for yourself when they're aren't any." Keith insisted, softening his hard features at the lost look on Shiro's face. It made him look both so much younger and yet, infinitely older then his young year of twenty eight. They'd been through hell and back after that car crash. It had taken a long time for them to even gather some sense of normalcy, but throughout the entire time they had been there to help each other out. Keep one or the other of them going. Keith had been truthful when he said he didn't remember much. The damage to his brain he had suffered erased a good chunk of the incident from his memories. Leaving him with a nasty scar that had only been explained through the prompt words of a doctor and the lasting effects of brain damage that sometimes hit him in a bad wave.

But Shiro?

He had been awake the entire time they were stuck in that car. From the moment they had been hit a second time, to the exact second when a medical saw was taken to his flesh to dislodge him from the wreckage and prevent said metal from completely skewering Keith. Of course he was going to have more issues then him. Not, that he didn't recognize his own but he put Shiro's higher on the list. It bothered him that every time they got to a point where this was addressedthat his brother was so set on dismissing himself. Somehow convinced that he was just acting a fool for feeling the way he did and that by still being plagued, he was weak. Neither Keith, nor Shiro's Fiancee, their friends, or their parents thought such a thing and that's the only people he should worry about.

Shiro heaved a tired sigh, running his hand through his shock white bangs to push them back. Admitting defeat for the time being as he opened his mouth to speak -

"I apologize for interrupting, but we are finished with the companion so it is alright to come see him now."

Both men turned suddenly to look at Allura across the way. She was standing in the open door of the operating room wearing an apologetic smile. One that neither male could be angry with. Besides...maybe now wasnt the best time to talk this through.

"No it's alright." Shiro assured, standing up as Keith moved aside to allow the motion.

"How is he?" Keith questioned. Her demeanor brightened up at that and she stepped out of the way to leave the open room exposed. The ravenette could just see the over night nurse pulling a fresh shirt over the boys head. One that fit him alot better, having probably been made to sit snuggly on a companions small frame. As soon as the canine caught him looking through the door that tail tip swished softly. It might of been a misinterpretation? But the boy almost looked surprised, if not relieved, to see Keith still there. As if he hadn't expected him to be.

"It was a success. The infectious fluid as been completely drained so the pressure as well as the swelling have gone down. He is receiving some fluids and other essential nutrion to make up for dehydration and the lack of a proper diet. Over all? He should be due to make a full recovery easily enough." the woman informed, sounding humbly pleased about being able to deliver such news when both male's visibly grew relieved. Keith more so.

"Is it okay, if I see him?" the shorter asked, and she smiled. Sweeping her arm out as an invitation. Keith grinned briefly and walked across the space to go into the room. Leaving the two to their own devices.

"Thank you for agreeing to come in on such short notice." Shiro commented, letting a warm if not tired smile pull into place. Automatically he held his hands out when she approached. Giving her own delicate ones a gentle squeeze when they found their way into his weather worn palms.

Allura stretched up to peck him on the nose, "Of course sweet heart. How are you feeling?"

She was speaking softly, so the pinkened cheek man also lowered his own voice. Moving his thumbs in a circular motion against her hands. Supporting them in his need to have that comforting connection with her. The strong support he knew she could offer to him as well. Shiro pressed a chaste kiss to her brow before resting their foreheads together. Standing comfortably in the center of the empty hallway.

"I heard you talking. Keith is right you know?" she whispered, beautifully blue eyes searching his own as they lifted to meet hers. She smiled with encouragement, contrasting greatly with the firm set of her thin brows as they tilted in.

"No one is rushing you."

The taller man frowned, lips setting into the shape. Completing his shaken look with a shameful note that left him vulnerable and open to the festering wound he had yet to close up. She could see it in his soft grey orbs as they disappeared behind his drooping lids for a moment.

"I know..I just wish I could take it back." He murmured and she breathed out a warm exhale. Sympathy flooding her veins alongside the need to reassure, comfort. Allura hadn't know the two boys before the accident. She had met them after the damage was done and their hearts were tight from the pressure wrapped around them from bandages that were supposed to keep them together. They struggled. She could see it in Shiro's demeanor when his frame was taught from exhaustion. Unable to sleep sometimes due to terrors that haunted him in the dead of night. She could see it in the way Keith blinked out sometimes. When his eyes were empty and his mind was lost some distance away. But she enjoyed the two boys all the same. She loved their silly and clear dynamic. She loved the strength of her Shiro and the fact that he could still be so kind and determined after such hardships. It was unfortunate that they had gone through something so emotionally traumatizing, but she honestly wouldn't take them any other way. Not her sweet heart Shiro or his little brother Keith.

"I wish that you could as well. For both of your sake. But Takashi, you are fine just the way you are right now. I have never met a person so good in the heart after Coran. We all know you are trying..and that is all that we will ever ask of you." she cooed, rubbing her nose against his own in a way that had Shiro chuckling at the innocent action. They briefly kissed. Warm, soft and sweetly before he pulled back. Shoulders rising with a deep breath to settle himself down.

"Thank you, baby.." he grinned, lifting her hand to press another little kiss to the back of her deep tanned knuckles. Just as a cough broke their gentle revere with a started 'eep' from his girl. The two adults turned around to see Keith shuffling on his own sneakers.

"Ah, I apologize Keith. Did you need to ask something of me?" she questioned, going back into full business mode as she fully faced the youngest. Shiro still kept their hands connected. Hidden behind her back.

"Uh...I was wondering.." He started, clearing his throat to otherwise collect himself. Ready his nerves to question her about what he and Shiro had talked a over in regards to the stray pup. It was a heavy question. Strangling his heart just like it had when Keith had first asked Shiro's parents if he could really stay with them. Because he was afraid of the answer he would receive. It hadn't even been more then a few hours now and he was fucking attached this companion already. What if it couldn't happen?

"Did Lance have any possible people he was registered to?" he questioned, looking back at the boy who was now sitting up fully. Ears perked up to the fullest with a face that was wide with a combination of emotion. Listening intently at the conversation that now revolved around him. Keith breathed, building up a spurt of determination as he turned back to Allura.

"No. I have already scanned his chip as you've guessed correctly. He has no current owner." she explained, "I have however, begun to compile the basic information I collected from the chip into another format to keep in the files on hand. It was shockingly empty, but no worries. There is always a trail to be picked up on."

Most if not all companions were registered once they reached a certain age in life. The appropriate year where separation from their litter was a pain that they could survive the impact of which was usually around three to four years of age. It was a small implant that was injected into the hand between the thumb and index. Easy to scan through the skin and update through wireless Bluetooth when a hybrid was passed from master to master. It carried everything a new owner needed to know about their companion. From blood types, to classifications, the type of breed and even the serial number to the facility they were born in. It was a useful trick if it weren't so...fucking creepy. Companion's were meant to act as intelligent pets. They had their own laws that protected their rights but all and all they were nothing but radio wave tracked slaves. Easy to purchase if you had the amount of cash to fund such an investment. It was gross almost if you really squintedand scrutinized it for what it was.

...and yet here he was, fixing to ask about owning one himself. Ugh..

"What happens to, a hybrid that has no owner then?" Keith implored, watching as the tall women seemed to gleam the true meaning of the questions. She let out a content breath.

"Well, the next step after recovery would be to register him to a facility willing to house him until a new owner wished to purchase him. As of right now he is in a sort of limbo if you will. If per say, you were interested it would be a great opportunity to jump now. While the paperwork is very little and third parties are yet to be involved. Do you ask because you are willing to take him back?" she asked a little hopefully, earning a fond look from Shiro. Allura was something else. A god send that even Keith would admit to having thought on multiple occasions. She had been in their lives for a little over two years by a mere couple of weeks of he calculated it right. He could remember the lazy Sunday morning when Shiro came home after Keith had finally coaxed him out of the house via dragging him. Telling the pent up house hermit to go some place, have a cup of coffee and breath for a while. Relax and let things go in favor of simply enjoying the present as it was. Cheesy perhaps. But it had worked. This woman had popped right into their lives from then on. Making her grand entrance by asking how his recovery was going. Taking note of the obvious fact that he was an amputee. It was startling to both of them if Keith really had to admit to it. No one ever asked how Shiro was when they dared to approach him about the delicate subject. It was always 'how did you loose your arm?' or 'was it painful?'. Those were his favorite questions because of how idiotic they were. Of course it had been painful, so one should stop making his brother relive it over and over again by asking him to explain the tale. But then there was this woman. This doctor who ran a Companion Clinic all on her own after years in the medical field to have the clearance to do so. A woman who stuck her neck out for patients and was damn stubborn about doing so. Allura was a strong lady, both in body and in mind. Keith knew that from expierence when they sparred at the gym. She had tossed him like a pillow full of feathers. She was good for them. More or less, good for Shiro. Steadily the man had grown back into a sense of normalcy because of her. She became another wall for him to lean on when he had bad days and Keith couldn't be there to support him. She gave the ravenette a chance to relax outside of the home. Because he knew that if she was there with his brother, then Shiro would be just fine. He didn't have panic attacks as much anymore..and his nights had become better along with his handling of having only one arm instead of two. But it was still a nice comfort to have. So when he sat Keith down like some principle in the counseling office and told him that they were dating for the first time? He had supported it one hundred percent. Allura was good company and the wonders she had done on Shiro over such a seemingly short period of time was great. Keith broke out of his stupor, rubbing at the sleeve of his jacket in a fidget.

"Yes."

"Yes!" All eyes jumped to the companion within the room. The pup that had been watching incredibly intently was now squirming. Hands balled up on the soft cotton blue pants they had dressed him onto. The goofiest grin Keith had ever seen on someone was plastered across the boy's cheeks and his tail? Was thumping at a slow and unpatterned pace against the bed spread that he sat on. Excited the man registered. Glad even. You almost couldn't tell that he had been so, anxious before when Keith had convinced him to get out of the rain and come into their house so they could take a look at him. That nervousness waa gone and replaced. The IV steadily dripping fluids into the top of his hand, nor the feverish flush on the boys cheeks could put a damper in his shine.

"I think, he is agreeable to this." Allura laughed, suddenly close to Keith. Enough so that flicked his eyes to her for a second and then back again. That, took a great deal of both awkward and anxiety out of the deal. He didn't have to worry about weather or not Lance wanted to come back with them and if he was making the boy do something that he didn't wish to. He could only imagine what this hybrid had been through already and he didn't want to add to that.

"Uh..would you really want to come with me?" Keith ventured, shoulders going tense for the brief seconds it took for Lance to refocus and give a nod. Features softening out of its excitable state and into something more reserved. "Okay. Then, this leaves me with paper work doesn't it?"

"Of course it does. Luckily for you all the contrast between doing this now rather then later is a great deal. As I said before, you do not have to deal with any third parties or payment agreements. It is just going to be signatures to acquire him so that there are official documentations of the fact." Allura explained, moving into the room as she did so to rest her hand gently atop the boys head. Combing her fingers fondly through his hair to ease the hybrid into a further state of calm. It was, kind of endearing to watch as he unraveled at her gentle touch. Arms going slack in his lap and head tilting up into her scratching with a slow exhale.

"I am going to steal Keith and Shiro away for a little while. So be good for the staff while I arrange this for you alright?" she hummed, waiting long enough for those vivid blue hues to open up into a half lidded blink at her. They flitted over to Keith for a moment. Searching, before shifting back up to the doctor herself. Something akin to understanding must of passed between them because the woman smiled and they were being led on there way.

A different nurse slipped into the room after they had stepped out. The morning staff must of been arriving by now. Lazily filing in through the halls to start their shifts. Shiro and Keith quietly tailed the woman as she led them through the building to her personal office. Where she shut them in with a soft click.

"Alright. It will take me a few moments to gather the paperwork. I assume you probably have questions so please, feel free to ask." as Allura spoke she brushed past them. Trailing her fingers over the back of Shiro's knuckles to draw his wondering attention. They shared short smiles that Keith chose not to tease them about withany comments. His brother and this woman were incredibly...smitten.

"Can you tell us what you think caused that wound?" Shiro spoke up softly, encouraging her to strike up the much needed fillers. It was a question that had been weighing on their minds since the wound had first been addressed. A more obvious explanation was that..well, he got into a scuffle with a bigger stray. Any other idea as to how the damage had been inflicted after that was a little unnerving.

"Sit, sit you two." Allura hummed, gesturing to the chairs that were huddled in front of the orderly desk she had claimed as her own. It was neat. Everything was aligned professionally to make a space that flowed easily for her. Yet, there were spots of personal touches here and there. Such as an old coffee mug that held her pens. A few picture frames that no doubt had photos of either the group or her and Shiro in them sat off to the corner of the desk. Out of the way but there for the comfort of offering something warm to keep the bland professionalism away. Much of her office was organized, to the shelves that had different books for study to the file cabinets that she was now sifting through.

"I would like to start with the fact that your stray is biologically an omega. A young one at that."

Keith frowned as he got himself comfortable. That already explained alot. Companion's ran on a sort of pack system amongst each other. Strong personalities and physical perfection were often presented as Alpha. Beta were the mute of the three categories as far as he knew. Pretty much tone deaf to the 'scents' he remembered Sable babbling about once. Then there were omega. The 'breeders' if you wanted to put it into blunt terms. There were capable of procreating easier then any other type of companion. Which, drew up another question. If Lance was an omega...could he..?

"This was probably his first Heat from what I speculate due to age. Usually an omega will reach their prime around the age of two in, well pet years I suppose. So those nasty bites were very likely received by another companion. An imposing alpha to be exact." as she spoke she opened one of the drawers in her file cabinet and began sifting through the divider files inside. Pulling out a page from each for inspection. If it was the right one? She laid it face down on top of the cabinets clean surface.

"Was he...erm, did he.." Keith started abalt awkwardly, not exactly sure if he could word such a filthy thought. Had that Alpha been successful? Did Lance really go through something as awful ass that alone, on the streets? With no form of comfort through safety afterwords?

"He can not conceive if that is what is what you are thinking. He may be an omega in body but he is still very much genetically male. It is uncommon for a male companion to have that type of status but that does not mean they are equipped with the ability to procreate. He will only have ghost heats, same as a female but without the ability of fully going into the fever. It was probably just enough to attract an alpha. I can assume that he only just presented a few weeks ago when he received the wounds. A tough situation to be in on your own I imagine." she explained, business tone softening into something akin of sympathy.

To suddenly hit the equivalent of puberty without protection from the danger of an alpha going into a potentially violent rut must of been terrifying. The boy was lucky that his cards had fallen in a manner that affect his gender and allowed him to go without the full intensity of an omega heat. Otherwise he would of been weak, immobile and submissive unconsciously to the alpha no matter how much he might of disliked them personally before the heat. The fever made them desperate from the over bearing heat and the pain of being neglected physically. It could be easily taken care of with the right amount of attention from a master without having to let an alpha get involved. But some owners simply let the stronger by genetics companions do as their instincts screamed and take omegas. Of course then you had those that bred for a living as well. It was almost healthier that way for each partner in a mated pair.

The heart pain that came from being taken by an alpha they would never see again? Was enough to give her a never ending flow of companions who got sick from depression and eventually? Their lonely hearts let the companions 'fade' away. It was unfortunate. But as far as she could tell the alpha that had probably attempted to claim this stray had failed. He didn't show signs of being permanently marked if at all outside of the bite wounds and the thin tears that came from fingernails scraping skin.

"At any rate, it appears that there was a struggle. Usually an alpha can subdue an omega in heat with a single bite to the throat. But as I said before, this particular hybrid does not expierence the full effects of a fever and therefore it appears like he rejected them. Hence the amount of biting and it's severity. He was not bonded. So he was able to break away from them." she assured, and something hot in Keith's torso finally ebbed away.

Being replaced with relief for the pup instead of an unorthodox anger at the nameless being that had hurt him to begin with. The ravenette was hard to get close to, by Keith's own choice. He simply...didnt form bonds with people as easily as others do to being raised earlier on with the mindset that nothing was permanent. That there was no way of him knowing if he would even stick around long enough to really come to understand a person. Become attatched. But his folly was, that once it happened? Once he had that bond? He took it seriously to the end. Keith didn't like the idea that any one of his friends would ever get hurt like this. As any normal person would. He might of only known Lance for a matter of hours now..but that was seemingly enough for him to become, attached.

"It's actually not uncommon that omega class companions come through our doors with wounds from an alpha who went into a...well, it happens." She chuckled, having noted the stiff postures and alightly disturbed expressions on their faces. So awkward about the sexual topics she mused.

"At any rate. An infection like his own is not something worth stressing him out by keeping him here longer then necessary. As long as the fever breaks here in the next couple of hours then I have no qualms with signing his release papers and sending him on his way with you. Usually we send out a nurse to check a new owners home, but I know yours well enough." Allura teased, getting a flustered look out of Shiro in the process. Diffusing the tense air with a joke that had Keith chuckling.

Maybe it made sense for their neighbor to be throwing such a huge fit with her own companion in heat. If it caused them so much trouble, and made them weak to another's will? Then it was important to provide enough protection to keep unwanted Alphas out. He was quickly coming to realize that this was going to take alot of work.

"Is there anything we'll need to specifically do to take care of his shoulder?" Keith pipped up as the woman closed the cabinet, picking up the papers and tapping them against the top to straighten them out neatly.

"I'll write you a prescription for some antibiotics to help clear his system. All you will need to do is make sure it stays clean and that he does not put to much strain on it until the wounds have closed up. Simple enough." she explained, taking a seat on the other side of the desk. There was a glint of amusement when she caught Shiro's eyes, something that was probably reflected back from his grey hues. Keith sighed.

These two..

"Easy I think. We should be good at wound care by now." Keith commented, shooting a glare to his right when Shiro knocked his shoulder lightly with a loose fist.

"Thanks for the practice hot shot. It'll definitely come in handy now won't it?" the man humored, only smiling a little wider when a girlish chuckle left the woman across the desk top as she set out the papers in mini piles to make the process go along a little more smoothly.

"Whatever. They deserve it for being assholes." the raven haired male snorted, whipping his head back to the papers when a pen was slid towards him. It was purple, decorated in black and pink swirls. Ugh..

He picked it up with disdain and scooted forwards in his seat a little bit. Right, down to business then. The quicker they got through this the better. He wasn't a big fan of signing anything. It just left a trail for people to follow. But this? Would be worth leaving a mark behind. Lance would be far better off with them then someone else. Not that he had a lack of faith for all of humanity, but he just didn't trust someone to offer the same kind of care that he planned on giving. It was a busy world. People had their heads in cyber space and their time aimed at anything but what mattered. He would admit that he wasn't exactly that different. Keith liked to relax on his laptop on lazy afternoons, or advance in a game he hadn't had a chance to pick up all week. But he wasn't so absorbed with media that his life revolved around 'what he or she said in their latest post'. The only hot app that he really had was Snapchat due to Hunk and Pidge being big fans of it. Other then than he mostly sifted through other sites with less involvement such as Tumblr or Pinterest. Twitter even if he was really feeling nosey but not often enough to be considered active. He'd just, hate the idea of Lance going somewhere and being ignored unless his presence was absolutely necessary.

"Alright, let's begin." Allura hummed brightly, resting her hand over the far left set of papers.

"This first page is an acknowledgment agreement that you recognize that from this day forth Lance is your responsibility. Your signature will bind him to you. So his care and behavior will fall back on your shoulders should anything happen in the future. Though I do not see him putting forth a great deal of trouble. He seems docile and sweet enough." the woman grinned fondly, patiently waiting as Keith aligned the pen with the various lines across the page. Skimming briefly before dotting the paper up with his signature. She took it once he had finished, setting it aside face down like before.

"This one here is just a page to document your basic information. Address, name, date of birth and so on. This will be coded into the chip so that you are officially listed as his present owner. If he were to ever get separated from you? They would be able to find you quickly. It will also help in the rare event that someone tries to snatch." Keith paused at that, looking up from the paper with furrowed brows.

"Uh..snatch?"

Allura's expression shifted into a far more serious one as she sighed, giving him a short bob of her head. "Yes. It happens sometimes. People who find a companion that is separated from their owner, even for a brief time, will sometimes snatch them up if they take a liking to them. It has happened before and the legal side that will get involved is a tedious business. The chip is not always a fail safe, but it is one layer of protection we can offer to help you hold onto your companion should something like this happen. Another precaution is the paper work here. If it is officially documented then you will have another form of ownership to show as proof. I will give you a copy of this when we are finished for your own records as well." as she explained he scribbled out his signature on the second page. Sliding it towards her without another second of hesitation.

No way in hell would he allow someone to just take Lance away from him like that. If the person was bold enough to /kidnap/ a companion then they meant nothing good. Nothing at all.

"What is the process to handling something like that?" Shiro chimed in, drawing the woman's attention as Keith began to skim over the next page.

"Well you file a report with the authorities in the companion department. They will go through their own process and when the culprit has been found? The police will get involved and both potentional owners will show to court to argue the case. I always heavily recommend saving any documents that have both of your names on it Keith - " Allura flicked her eyes to him just as he looked up. "Doctor visits, dental. Anything that you could use to prove your claim on your companion. People never take precaution and it makes the danger all the more real. So please, keep anything that has official stamps on it in regards to Lance. It will help you."

"Smart anyways." he commented, satisfied that he had supplied all of the information asked for on this third page to add his signature and slide it over to the woman so she could put it with the others. It was much of the same thing throughout. Every time they got to a new page of the contract she would explain it thoroughly, pointing out the best options for future insurance and offering to take Lance on as a patient herself to help them both out. The longer it went on the more eager Keith was to finish it up. It was putting him into a state of shellshock. This was really happening. He was taking a companion home as his own. Neither he nor Shiro had ever thought about getting one before even after their therapist told Shiro that adopting one could help with the PTSD. It just, seemed like such a hassle if he could truthfully admit to himself. It was also another form of saying that yes...they both had lingering issues to handle. Neither man had been quite ready to admit to that by adopting a health companion just to keep their minds sane. Shiro more so then himself. Sure, Keith had his own issues but he was far more worried for the ones that plagued his brother. It was alot of information to take in by the end of it. He felt almost overwhelmed as Allura lined up the papers and slid them into a copying machine that was kept on another desk in the corner of her office. Keith sat back with a loud sigh, sagging into the comfortable chair like a heathen.

"I need coffee." he grunted, tilting his head to rest against his shoulder as he looked at Shiro. Who in turn smirked.

"Its tiring work being an adult isn't it?" he laughed, waving a hand up to swat the one Keith had swung at him in mock annoyance.

"Yeah yeah you jerk who keeps forgetting that I'm beyond teenie bopper age now." the man joked just as lightly. Sometimes he really did think that Shiro forgot such a thing. But he supposed it was just in his brothers nature to. The man was like a protective lioness. He was always there to try and help one of them within the group when it was needed. Offering guidance and calm when the chaos kicked up a roaring thunderstorm. It was only within the last year that Keith really felt like Shiro had settled down a bit when it came to himself. He didn't hover as much. Letting Keith wonder without throwing himself into a fit of stress. Maybe this would benefit them as much as it did the hybrid?

"Your MCR collection says otherwise Keith." the man chuckled, laughing even louder when Allura couldn't help but stifle a snicker at their play. Keith crossed his arms with a scoff and sat there with a purposely promenint pout in place. Damn these two.

"I feel so fucking attacked right."

"Oh come on now. It is all fun and games yes?" Allura mused, walking back into their line of sight. She layed out the papers flat on the desk and folded them before grabbing an envelope from one of the drawers. Slipping the copies inside and taping it shut to keep it all together. She held it out to the youngest just as he was fitting his features with a bland stare.

"I don't like either of you right now." Of course, neither one of them took this to heart. Keith took the envelope and tucked it into the pocket of his jacket. Standing up himself to join both Shiro and Allura.

"Don't be a Debbie downer Keith. You're getting a new puppy today, so smile." Shiro teased, voice straining as he stretched his stiff limbs. A glance at the clock on the wall told him it was almost eight thirty now. The day was well on its way.

"Humor aside, Lance should be ready to depart now. All we need to do is update the information in his identification chip and I will sign his release papers." she mused, picking up the phone on her desk and dialing a number with a pause. It was a few breaths time before someone must of picked up. There was a brief conversation between Allura and another nurse on the end of the line he assumed before she set the phone down in its cradle with a smile.

"Let's go. He is already waiting in the recovery room for us as we dilly daddle. This way you two." she ushered them towards the door with hands on both Shiro and Keith's shoulders. Being guided through the halls left him with a bubbling sense of eagerness. It was done now. Lance was his to take care of and watch out for. Yet the flip side to the coin left him nervous. Because Lance was going to be dependent of Keith from now on. Reliant on him to provide a safe place with food in his belly and clothes on his back. Being the lead bar keep at his job did have him worrying about money at least. Keith had always been pinched on cash. He never let it go without knowing he could afford to do so. So his savings was built up with a pretty nice cushion if he could boast about it truthfully. It would just be a little different then watching out for Shiro when the man was reluctant to admit that he needed it. This was another person he would have to learn to read and respond to properly. Lance was a pretty tender being so far. Timid but cheerful enough, and compliant. But there was always more depth just under the surface so he supposed, he'd see what that would entail soon enough.

"Alright, just wait here for me and I will be right back with your companion." Allura instructed, sharing a brief smile as she disappeared behind a set of double doors. Leaving them with her disappearing back side as they swung back and forth a few times before going still. Keith heaved a heavy sigh.

"Well. I guess we really did get a helper after all." he murmured, hesitantly almost. Luckily Shiro didn't seem to be phased by the joke. Instead, he laughed softly even.

"I think your right. Won't the doctor be glad to hear the news next visit." The man hummed, falling quiet as Keith turned the thick envelope in his hands over and over again.

Letting his mind wonder over what the hell he was supposed to do next. The list of things to carry out to ready this companion for living in their home was actually a decent sized one. He'd need to clean the spare bedroom. Make the bed, go grocery shopping because let's face it. They've been procrastinating on that for a few days at least. Not to mention the fact that he would need to take Lance to get some clothes that could actually fit him right and accommodate for his tail and small frame. It was going to be a busy next few days..

"Don't overwhelm yourself over there. We'll get everything taken care of Keith." Shiro stated with confidence on the matter.

"Right. I know that..just, what if I mess up?" the male stressed, picking at the edge of the white folded paper only to catch himself doing it. He let his hand fall to his side uselessly.

"Then we'll fix it. Don't worry so much buddy. This companion really seems to have gotten attatched to you. So I don't think he's going anywhere from now on. We can learn as we go." The older responded, meeting the shorter man's eyes. Purple searched grey for any doubt but as always Shiro was without it. Acting as the sturdy stone he needed to take his next step to.

* * *

 

 

 Twenty minutes passed before the double doors opened again to reveal Allura and the pup trailing at her side.

Looking a little like he had just woken up from a nap with the way his hair was a tidbit ruffled and the balled up hand that rubbed at a flushed cheek. Wiping a stray tear from the toothy yawn that whined out of his throat. It was kind of, cute?

"Success. He is officially yours now Keith. Please, do take care of him and if you have any questions or doubt you can give me a call. Do not give up on this boy just because of one mistake. I think you will find that you have met one of a kind with him." she cooed proudly, letting go of the companions hand to instead rest her own against his back. Gently guiding the pup forwards who took to standing between them almost timidly. Keith could just see the tip of his tail as it wrapped around his knee. Blue blinked up at violet brown, suddenly nervous in their ever present gleam.

He didn't take it to heart. In the past, Keith had a difficult time wanting to warm up to or even believe that the new people who took him in would he around for a while. It's easy to want to fall into place with the kindness you've been dealt. But it was harder to allow yourself to do so without questioning it at every turn.

Someone cleared their throat, pulling him out of his stupor. Just like before Keith held out his hand for the hybrid to take. Waiting patiently as the boy squirmed on his slipper clothed feet. The corners of his pouty mouth tilted up to expose the tip of a baby canine tooth that had found a way to poke past his lip and with that same eagerness from before? Lance took his hand once more, stepping over to stand incredibly close to Keith's side. Enough that he could almost feel the boy's shoulder against his thigh. Only then did Lance drop his gaze again. Looking like a pleased pup who had found a sunny spot to bath in for the afternoon. Keith chuckled and found that his brother was doing the same thing beside him. The sound must of been enough to comfort him further because shortly after the boy's tail started to sway in a soft wag. Small as it always was, as if he were shy to let his own furry appendage do as it pleased, but prominent enough to catch the intention behind it. Happy.

"His nurse bagged up your clothes for you." Allura smiled, holding out what looked to be a large prescription bag that was lumpy from said clothing no doubt. The younger man flushed and reached out to tag the bag. He was slightly disturbed that a girl he didn't know had seen his boxer briefs. But the feeling wasn't allowed to linger long enough to really sink in when Allura clapped her hands together.

"I'm going to text you some reasonably priced establishments to get supplies for him later on. If you mention my name I am sure they will be very happy to help you. Sometimes we pair up on adoption weeks to help promote. You should bring Lance to the next one. It is a great way to let companions socialize and learn tips from other owners. But one step at a time. The prescriptions for the antibiotics that he will need are in that bag as well. Please do fill those as soon as you can so that he can get them built in his system. We gave him the first dose today so he will be perfectly fine until tomorrow." The woman explained, pacing the short distance between them to take Shiro's hand. Jarring the man out of his observant state with a smile.

"Aside from that you are free to go." Allura beamed, turning a glinting eye full of mischief onto his brother. "I do have to ask. Is it alright if you let Keith borrow your car to drive home? I wish to steal you for some breakfast."

Keith laughed at how quickly Shiro turned red with the woman pecked him on the lips. For such a gentleman he was always so quick to unravel when the tables were turned around. It was amusing for him, and good for his brother to.

"Don't even ask, just hand me over your keys and go out for a while. We're probably just going to go home and get settled in anyways." He explained, snorting in soft amusement when there was a gentle slap of tail against his calf muscle through dark joggers. Shiro was reluctant for a moment but finally relented. Fishing out his keys from the pockets of his sweats and setting them in the shorter male's waiting palm.

"I'm hardly dressed to go somewhere for breakfast though." Shiro sighed, looking down at himself. He was clothes in a plain white shirt that sat over black sweat pants. A simple jacket had been thrown on as well even though he hadn't used it for a second with the weather. Allura laughed, leaning up on her toes to murmur something onto Shiro's ear. The man coughed loudly and turned immediately to lead the two of them down the hall. His ears were reddened.

"If you need anything call me Keith." He called, "And don't get a speeding ticket in my car!" Okay, well that was rude he scowled. Letting his expression fall into a sort of deadpan. So maybe he had a bit of a habit for driving faster then permitted on most roads. But Keith couldn't help it. He loved the rush that came from it, the adrenaline that filled his system when you were flying over the ground like that. It was his addiction he supposed. Which is why he had a mustang. Shiro was far to uncomfortable letting him getting a bike and after one broken up conversation Keith reluctantly didn't ask about it again.

"I don't go that fast..most of the time." He commented, not entirely sure why he was defending himself to Lance instead of Shiro. Sighing he looking down at the companion whose eyes were still focused out on the hallway. Watching the retreating backs of the couple until they were gone from around a corner.

"Uh, are you ready to go?"

Of course the hybrid was. His perked ear flicked at the question before the companion huffed out a breath.

"Yes." Lance yipped, squeezing Keith's hand as tightly as his smaller one could allow shortly afterwards. He quirked the corner of his mouth up in a crooked, soft smirk and jerked his head to incidecate that they leave. Leading the boy down the length of the clean hallway and back towards the way they had come. The boy he noted kept his hurt arm raised a little, probably to relieve a bit of pressure. Was it beginning to hurt him already? "

We can stop on the way home and fill your medication. I'm sure she gave you something for pain?" he should probably check before just rolling up to the store that he and Shiro used for their own meds. The pup only watched him as they walked. A faint grin in place that held contentment in it. Allura and Shiro were right. The hybrid was agreeable, almost happy to come along. It settled his worries inevitably. Any thoughts about being the bad guy and forcing the boy to come home with him despite the accepting attitude were slowly dwindling. He'd of felt awful if he eventually learned that the companion was only following him because he was his new owner now. Keith swallowed, pushing his bangs back once more in a fidget.

"Are you sure, you're really okay with living with us?" he questioned, nodding briefly to the front desk clerk as she waited for a new face to set up for morning shift.

"Yeah..i, like Keith." The hybrid responded, with an accent he noted. Something that sounded a little Spanish even. His sentences and responses were simple and to the point though. Which led him to believe that maybe he hadn't caught on to speaking or reading yet? It was something that he'd look into later on. There was no point drilling him right now after a probably nerve wracking night and a painful trip to the clinic to get taken care of.

"You're kind of interesting to, Lance." Keith mused, reaching out to hold the door open for the hybrid. He hesitated for a second but stepped out first. Walking sideways so he could keep a hold of the man's sleeve as he followed him out. Wiggling with a sense of joy all the while. Maybe this wouldn't be so terrible after all? All he had to do was just be attentive enough to this companion. Keep a roof over his head and food in his belly. Treat him as he would his friends. That wasn't so hard.

Right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> || Author's Note;   
> I'm going to be busy for a full week hanging out with my Girlfriend at the Anime Expo here on July 1-7 for vacation and what not. I hope to have chapter 3 written and tweaked before then? But just encase it might run a little late;;; so I apologize in advance!
> 
> P.S; that thing that Allura whispered into Shiro's ear? Was completely a compliment on his bum in those sweat pants. I have no shame.


	3. Settling Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Its time for some well deserved down time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would first like to start out with apologing a horrendous amount for being so late with this update. The summer hasn't been very kind this year around. Between financial issues, family drama aimed at love life and lots of over time at work I haven't had much time or motivation. So this chapter is a little short but hopefully it's worth the wait D'x I'm going to start working on the next one tonight if not tomorrow so I can have it out to you guys. 
> 
> Thank you so much for your patience, kudos, and awesome comments!! I really really appreciate you! <3 <3 <3

**Settling Down**

* * *

 

 

The drive home was thankfully uneventful. The roads were thin with movement and that's how Keith rather liked it. Only the few unfortunate souls who had callings to answer to at an incident hour were rolling down the roads with him. Some flying faster then others in their rush to arrive at their destination while the majority moved slow. As if they were only half awake and running on a sense of autopilot much like himself. Being awake for more then twenty four hours could do that to you. Now that the immediate rush and stress of finding the companion was over the exhaustion was beginning to set in he wanted nothing more then to lay down on the nearest comfortable surface and relax. Worrying was a stressful ass expierence and he should know. He has done it enough in his life time already.

As promised Keith had stopped through by the pharmacy to fill the hybrid's prescriptions as well as going on ahead and picking up his brother's while he was there. Luckily it only took ten minutes tops due to waiting behind an early bird old person because the hybrid was out like a light in the passenger seat still. Eyes having drooped closed and staying that way only a few street lights after they left the clinic all together. Giving Keith the chance to mingle with his own thoughts.

Trying to piece together some sort of game plan now that he had an extra person to take care of and provide for. Everytime he would dot a task on his mental list another one would come up in result that would seem more important then the last. It made his focus swirl and everytually he rolled down the windows a little to let in some fresh, cool air. At some point while they were in that office with Allura the rain had stopped. Leaving the new day with a glistening layer of slow-moving and industrious sense of urgency that smelled of freshly watered earth. It was as cheesy as it sounded. But it was the perfect kind of day to be laid out with the windows open to air out the house and a good show on the television to occupy himself with. Adopting the role of very contented and extremely lazy couch potato. If everything worked according to plan that is exactly what he had in mind too.

It took a thankfully grand total of thirty minutes to really get home. Luckily for them the clinic hadn't been that far off and the pharmacy itself was only a few blocks away at best. So time was cut shorter then he'd of expected when he finally pulled into Shiro's parking spot and turned off the car, after rolling the windows back up of course. It looked like it could still rain so it was better not to take any chances and ruin the seats with the potential of mildew.

He had made that mistake once with his own car and the week after Keith had to leave his windows open to dry it all out along with spending some quality time cleaning the inside just to make sure there werent any lasting effects on his seats or carpet. Or...driver controls, doors. Tsk, the entire cabin if you will. It had probably been due for some major elbow grease anyways by then so no harm was done in the end.

Quietly Keith climbed out of the vehicle. Closing the door and walking around to the passenger side to get the resting Companion. It was with a random glance towards his own car as he did so that the man realized his phone was still sitting in the middle cup holder. Right where he had left it when Sable had tapped at his window and gave him a fucking heart attack only a handful of hours ago. It almost irked him that she had been right after all, but he didn't think there was a need to go hunting for this pup like some form of animal control with the threat to call the police force just to do so. He highly doubted that Lance was trying to do anything fishy around her yard anyways. The..omega probably just scented another of its own in distress or something right? That or he had been looking for shelter from the rain and had drawn to much attention to himself. He kind of wished he had paid some sort of attention to the things that the neighborhood gossiped about, otherwise he might of known some kind of timeline. Because rumor was that some stray had been sniffing around for a...few days if he could guess? He had been asked once about it by the older couple across the street who were looking to warn him about it. None the less, everyone was on some silly kind of alert over this unclaimed companion like the boy was a ravenous rabies infested beast. Unneeded if you asked him now that he knew who the lost hybrid was.

Keith didnt think that Lance would willingly cause danger to anyone. He, seemed to timid and well..kind for that. From what he had seen so far anyways. Always watching them for some kind of hint that could be taken as a yes or no, seeking out permission and promise through body language or the tones in their voices. The difference in his behavior was drastic enough to be noticed when Keith had changed the way he spoke to Lance in comparison from their fiest few moments up until the present. Respectively so. If you were yelling at someone they were incredibly likely to respond back with negative reactions. But if you spoke steadily, with calm and neutral tones? Things would be just as cooled off. Lance responded better to that..and from the few chances he had gotten to speak to him with instruction Keith had noted that it was easier to keep the hybrid at ease if he talked the boy through things..gently. Not exactly his forte, but if it kept the pup from feeling threatened or even scared then he'd have to learn he figured. Wouldn't Shiro be pleased to hear him say that?

"You're a bad influence on me." Keith mumbled out loud to himself, taking a moment to spy on the resting hybrid. Hadn't moved an inch he humored with an amused smirk. Snorting at the boyish way Lance's head had lolled to the side during the ride home. Half tilted down just enough to barely hide his heavy lids behind the fringe of his curly brown bangs. Giving off a fluffy, soft looking nature that contrasted with the subtly pinched look on the boy's face through the glass. His image was to distorted with collecting drops of water to really see if Lance was fidgeting from an unsavory dreamscape. But the pair of canine ears nestled amongst brown were both flopped forwards still, relaxed in a way that had the mutt looking like a worn out young puppy after a long day instead of a live human boy...

Well to an extent he was human in nature. A mixture of both more or less which is why these hybrids had the humanoid appearance that people craved to own for companionship. It was silly to think that there were such legal laws in act that were meant to snatch up a boy like this. Give him a case number, and sort him out into the system to be bought up like an overstocked item by who knows what type of owner. Similar fates to similarly abandoned souls. That familiar pang struck him in the chest but the man ignored it stubbornly.

Heaving out a long sigh and turning away to his own car once again. Kind of ironic wasn't it? An orphan like himself taking in an equally lost canine? If he weren't so tired he would laugh at the universe for its shitty jokes but then Keith wasn't really riding on the regretted train right now. It was going to take alot of adjusting on the entire household's part sure, but it kind of felt..good. Doing something that would change another person's life for the better from this day forth. Lance was going to wake knowing he had a roof over his head now. Regular meals in his belly, and clothes to keep him warm and protected. No more uncertainty. No more anxiousness over whether or not he was going to loose stability in his living situation. No more being passed around, shunned away, and rejected for not being something that someone else wanted. Lance was amongst, friends here. People who knew what it was like and were just as fractured because of it.

Neither he nor Shiro were perfect. Farm from it if you counted the amount of demons that hide in the dark corners of their minds to this day. What they did have was heart. Shiro was more forth coming and open with his own then Keith but not an ounce of their beings would be muscled up to inflict pain or suffering on this boy. Besides, how many times had their shared psychiatrist suggested that they get a service companion as a form of therapy anyways?

At least three times. Insistent upon the fact that there were different types of service companions who could cater to their specific needs. It was that kind of wording however that made it more difficult to admit that they might actually need that kind of help. Neither he nor Shiro were willing to say that yes, it might be beneficial to have help at home on their own terms but to be given an option that made them feel more crippled then they already were? Didn't exactly help the situation. Shiro explained that it was just a way the man was trying to better their lives when Keith's nerves got grated because of it. But you could always here the hesitation in his brothers voice. The uncertainty of the fact that what he was saying was really beneficial or not. They went to therapy. Both physical and mental. They took their medicine, led healthy lives, and had a support system of friends who helped them outside of the doctors. What more did they really need? A twenty four seven baby sitter who lived with them around the clock all year long for who knows how much time? That seemed over the top which is why Keith had rejected it on the few occasions it had been brought up with bitter tones.

They were /not/ that broken. They weren't, so there was no need for that kind of service.

However...

He couldn't exactly deny the shift in atmosphere now that their daily functions were going to involve a hybrid. Lance to be exact. Keith couldn't put his finger on it yet, and he'd rather not push the subject to the point of obsession but it was there. He could feel it.

Shaking his head, he got his phone from his own car and pocketed it into his joggers for now. If there were any messages he'd just check them once he got settled in the house. They waited this long so what was another twenty minutes tops? That's what he told himself anyways so he wouldn't stand there like a dumbass in the driveway looking through stupid snaps or texts to see what had and hadn't been responded to. If anything both parties were sleeping by now, that or at work once more so Pidge and Hunk would be busy enough.

Pulling open the car door and unbuckling Lance from the passenger seat Keith smirked. Not an ounce of movement outside of those floppy ears twitching or a nose flaring subtly from the flood of new scents hitting unconscious senses. Rolling his eyes at the amount of laziness here the man stooped at the knees slightly and pushed his hands up underneath Lance's knees and behind his back. Picking the canine up bridal style this time since the boy wasn't awake to help maneuver himself into any other position and Keith wasn't looking to drop him. Bumping the door closed with his hip he ambled up the driveway and around the side to the porch once more.

He struggled momentarily to unlock the door before he was finally home. Shoes kicked of and mind set for nothing but the damn couch and a good mind numbing show of sorts. First he just had to settle Lance in and make sure he was comfortable before he even bothered to go on about his own business. Their house was a three bedroom one bath kind of set up. But the spare room that neither Shiro nor Keith use had been dubbing as a sort of storage space. Boxes that they still hadn't bothered to unpack were there stacked in neat piles against one wall while last year's entertainment stand sat up by the other. Sporting an equally obsolete television that was hooked to their faithfully still capable of running Nintendo. It wasn't fit to be used as a place to sleep unless you were fine with crashing on the stupid big bean bag chair that had been left in the center of the small room from the last time Shiro had come in here to use it. It was comfortable, there was no denying that because he caught himself lounging in here on it from time to time to have a go at Star fox. But it seemed kind of crued to just dump the unconscious pup off in here when it wasn't even set up like a normal bedroom yet.

So he passed right by the open door of that one and to his own room. Pushing the slightly ajar door open with his shoulder to cross the darkened space. Keith was very serious about voiding out the sun when he craved to sleep in and after a late night shift at the bar? It was often, so to avoid the slim chance that he was woken up from his dead-to-the-world sleep he had replaced the basic white miniblinds with expensive dark cherry wood ones. When you had them closed completely shut almost no light was allowed to filter through and that's how he liked it. Besides it with with the general color scheme of his room so he figured that was a general plus right? He wasn't that big on interior decorating. Dont get him wrong. Keith liked to have an organized space and enjoyed gathering things that he considered to be rare, 'cool' or simply matched his interest. So it wasn't like it was bare in here but that also didn't mean it was entirely cluttered with signs of inhabitance either.

Stepping over yesterday's pair of jeans that he had been to sloppy to pick up last night Keith moved to the side of his king mattress. Letting Lance sleep off his long night in here would be fine for a while. He was so tiny in comparison to the spacious bed that it was more shocking then it should of been. Keith let himself dwell just yet on the potentiol that had been lost for the boy when he was out on the streets or even before that. Right, a good dinner was in order he promised lance quietly..

He didn't worry about the sheets. It wasn't as if Lance was entirely filthy. At some point while they were seperated the staff must of given the hybrid a bit of a rub down because his cheeks and hair generally looked free of the bashing the weather had given it. Carefully he leaned up onto the bed with his knee, ignoring the way it creaked under his weight as he bent forwards. Easing Lance out of his arms and onto the sheets so that his head was resting on one of the spare pillows Keith kept around. He never slept with just one. Being more fond of tucking himself between a few of them before closing his eyes and crashing out for the night. That didn't mean they stayed that way though.

Keith was a migrating sleeper most of the time. Twitching and shifting in his sleep until he found a spot that was comfortable for a while before the process started all over again. It was a deep sleep quirk he always figured. The raven haired man had a difficult time finding unconsciousness during the night but once he did? He was gone from the world and might as well been on into the next one. Shiro always joked that he could sleep through a literal bomb and at this point in his life he didn't even argue. Because the seven alarms that he had set on his phone stood as a daily confirmation to the fact.

It looked like it was going to be the exact opposite with Lance he mused. No sooner had a blanket been pulled up to rest over his shoulders did the pup curl onto his side and tuck his tail in and the only reason he knew that is because he saw the appendage move beneath the sheet he used to sleep with. Another folly to a resting Keith Kogane. He always ran hot so he slept with a sheet most of the time while his comforter lay bunched up at the end of his bed just encase it was needed. Poor Shiro, the unlucky bastard, was quite the opposite. Probably from the mixture of medication constantly running through his system to help him throughout the day. But he stayed cold alot. Not drastically so unless it was winter of course. Then he was completely bundled up in layers that made Keith sweat from just imagining how overly cozy it must of been. He supposed they'd learn about the companions preferences as they went along..

Until that day came however? Keith quietly padded back out of his room and closed the door a majority of the way. Leaving it a little cracked open before he stopped by the washing machine, set it onto a clean cycle and trudged his way into the living room. Plopping down onto the couch with a horrendously long sigh. Fuck, what a long night he groaned. Using his foot to smash the power button of the remote that sat on the table while he slouched back into the cushions. Pushing his hand up through his bangs to simply, think.

Starting today he was an master. The owner of a companion whom of which he knew nothing about outside of his name and the fact that he was of mixed blood, just like himself. Keith was a Korean-American. Born to a Korean mother and an American father whom of which he hadn't seen tail of either of them in an ample amount of years. His father had always told him that his mother had become illand fled back to her country to return home. How much of that story was true he didn't exactly know because the way his dad use to talk about his mom? She was all but depicted as a fierce women with a short but lengthy legged stature who could kill a man with her eyes alone. She is the one that supposedly gave him his stubborn and arguementive personality along with his violety-grey eyes and dark hair. In fact according to his dad, Keith's skin complexion and build came from her to. Almost an exact copy of the woman who had disappeared before his young mind was old enough to start remembering faces.

Che, and then his dad went too when he claimed to have found a lead in his mom and was going to go bring her back home..

He watched his father walk out the front door when he was six years old, saying he'd be back in four days time and to not leave the house for anything. There had been plenty of food. He remembered his dad pointing this all out and promising to return but by day two Keith had accidently started a fire by putting foil in the microwave and when the authorities came to pull him out of the burning house, well...he had been put into the system due to no active parents of family members to claim him. Since he was American born he wouldn't be sent back to Korea where his roots had come from. Sometimes when he was younger Keith would wonder if he would be called into the counslers office one day because his father had finally found him in the city. It never happened..

Every time a family showed interest and he was made to meet them he was left disappointed because it wasn't his dad or this woman who was supposed to be his mom. So he kind of trumped himself in the game of being likeable in that sense because he automatically went into a new family's home acting closed off and hurt. It was hard for most to look past that when they couldn't get him to open up and stop acting like a guest in favor of being more of a family member. So one excuse led to another in regards of giving him back up. He was honestly surprised at how patient his personal counsler was for having to set him up with a handful of different clients before Takashi Shirogane came into his life one day. All in all, now that he was older he liked to think he knew what happened. That his dad went over there, found his wife and they started fresh from the very beginning. Leaving him behind.

Shitty if you asked him but then he wasn't in need of them anymore anyways. Hadn't been since twelve and came to realize how being an orphan in the system really worked. How you were supposed to be a puppet to conform to the wishes of the adults bringing you into their home. How you weren't supposed to get in trouble lest you get sent back for costing so much money. How you were supposed to bury who you really were to find a steady place to live and how you were supposed to be something one could boast about while at the same time learning to accept the fact that you were never truly going to be those parents child. That no matter what you were just the adopted kid.

"No more bitterness." He sighed, blinking up at the ceiling while television droned on softly about the current idiocy and misery in the news. He leaned forwards to snatch up the remote and flicked it to the discovery channel instead. Turning the volume down just enough to leave some kind of noise before he promptly flopped to the side. Right, sleep. That was a thing he could do now if he wanted. But he made the mistake of clicking the power button on his phone by accident when pulling up the charger chord that was hooked to an extension chord by the couch. He had messages.

_Message Recieved: 5:46am You fell to sleep on me again didn't you?_

_Message Recieved: 5:50am Or your sleeping in? That's cool, but I was totally looking forwards to breakfast._

_Message Recieved: [image attatched] 6:30am The story is empty and I'm so bored. I know your tired but I'm dying here buddy._

Keith snorted at the image of the empty flower shop. Of course it was going to be slow, he had hardly received that message before the crack of dawn. The store wasn't even open yet. It didn't open until nine am. Rolling onto his back to prevent his annoying phone screen from flipping randomly on him Keith tapped out a message back, annd waited for the conversation to begin. Right..today was supposed to be a running day, had he not been up a full twenty four hours he might consider it. But screw a bunch of that noise. There was no way in hell he was getting off this couch to do anything but stuff his face or shower. Which was kind of tempting actually but now he was to busy for that..

_Message Sent: 11:28am Weren't you supposed to be working on a wedding order?_

_Message Recieved: 11:30am Was, but I finished it no thanks to you._

_Message Sent: 11:32am Pfft, you finished it by your own whim. Me not responding wouldn't of made a difference._

_Message Recieved: 11:35am Uh, yeah? It would have made a HUGE difference. As in me not loosing my mind from the silence. Come on Keith, throw me a bone?_

_Message Sent: 11:38am If it makes you feel any better? I was busy..with, not sleeping things.._

_Message Recieved: 11:43am Okay, eww?_

_Message Sent: 11:50am Not THAT! WHY DOESN EVERYONE JUMP TO THAT CONCLUSION EVERY TIME IT TAKES ME LONGER THEN 5 MINUTES TO RESPOND._

_Message Recieved: 11:52am Whoa, that is to many cap letters for my eyes to be assaulted with in the morning. Please, lower case yourself friend._

_Message Sent: 11:55am Whatever, get back to work flower boy._

_Message Recieved: 11:56am Wait._

_Message Recieved: 11:56am Did you just.._

_Message Recieved: 11:57am Call me a cute name?!_

_Message Sent: 11:58am Hunk._

_Message Recieved: 11:59am I have physical proof that your a fluff. I have PROOF. Take that Pidge._

_Message Sent: 12:00pm I have a companion._

_Message Recieved: 12:38pm What?! Really?! Is it cute let me see_

_Message Recieved: 12:45pm Keith..buddy?_

_Message Recieved: 12:53pm Oh come on. You can't leave me on a cliff hanger like that. Dude._

_Message Recieved: 12:59pm Sigh. I am going to die not of boredom but suspense from you. Geez, have a good uh..whatever your doing? Don't share if it's gross. I'm innocent._

* * *

 

 

He didn't know exactly what time it was when he fell to sleep. But when he woke it was to a small hand poking at his loosely drapped arm. It wasn't so much the action that finally pulled him from his sleep but the low, pathetic whine that did.

Keith blinked his eyes open, instantly racing a free had with a growl at the amount of light leaking in through..everywhere. Maybe falling asleep out here on the couch was a bad idea.

Sighing in protest the man started to roll onto his side and came face to face with Lance.

"Fucks!" He yelped, sitting up in surprise and sending the boy scuttling back on his knees. Whacking his arm on the table with a jolting thud before falling onto his rump with a wide eyed, surprised whimper.

Both male's stared at each other for a total of who knows how long before it dawned on him that he was probably supposed to say something right? Lance was looking more nervous and uncertain of himself by the second. Glancing back and forth from random points on the floor and Keith himself. Never quite locking eyes with him. Breathing out a long side the ravenette flopped back onto the cushions.

"Are you in any pain?" It took a moment but Lance shook his head no.

Keith wasn't sure how much of that he could believe when the boy was wringing his fingers together in his lap like he was struggling to say something. A..nervous habit perhaps?

When he realized the hybrid wasn't going to say anything on his own he exhaled. Rubbing at his sleep ridden cheeks and eyes to try and wake himself up a little more so he could face this puzzle and figure out what it was Lance needed. Did all companions stay quiet like this? Or was it that the pup was just...timid. He knew that he was fully capable of speaking. Through a somewhat foreign accent but still, he had heard him talk. So why wasn't he now? Intimidation maybe, or lack of permission...was that a type of control tactic that he had been taught in the past?

"Uhm, did you need something then?" He tested, watching the caramel skinned companion squirm patiently. With a deep breath that made his small shoulders rise somewhat stiffly, Lance looked at him warily.

Keith quirked his brow with the encouraging question of what but the smaller male was scooting forwards. Shinning across the soft carpet until he was sitting right beside the couch. When it didn't appear that Keith understood what he was wanting just yet Lance pat at the cushion. Oh...he wanted to get up on the couch. With him?

"Did you want to...stay in here?" He strained out, finding a stupid amount of relief in the small mumbled yes that came seconds later as the hybrid ducked his head. Looking ashamed of himself for it. Which made him wonder if this was something that had been asked before to someone else and Lance had been told to scat? As, awkward as it was to have someone invade his personal space on a normal basis with out him having known them for a good chunk of time that apprehension wasn't as intense here. Or so he though as he resituated himself so that the boy would have some kind of spot to lay.

"Well come on then.." He mumbled, feeling stupid for turning into an embarrassed mess as the pup perked somewhat. However he still seemed cautious.

Moving like a cat that was trying to go unnoticed as he climbed up onto the couch. Bringing along the sheet that Keith had had on his bed with him. He squinted slightly at that but didn't say anything lest he make the other boy go stiff with the idea that he was in trouble. Because that's what he was acting like. As if he were trying to creep around the claws of a potential dragon instead of a other human being. He didn't comment on that either. Nor the slow process of Lance turning in a few circles and digging his bony knees into Keith's chest and stomach while he pawed at his shirt. Probably some...animal like instinctual habit but finally. Finally he lay curled in a tangled ball of blanket on Keith's torso. The soft tufts of his curly hair tickling at his chin from the hybrid having tucked his head against his chest. Right where Keith's heart was he noted stiffly.

Was Lance..comfortable like that?

Surely he wasn't the best of body pillows to find oneself resting on. Yet small fingers fisted at the man's jacket and with a sighful whine the companion went still. Where he would probably stay for another hour at least.

Welp--

Better settle in for the long haul he sighed. Somewhat uncomfortably lowering hos raised arm. When he had it just barely touching the hybrid, testing, Lance moved not an inch. If anything, the weight of his arm seemed to be an accepted factor because limbs drew in a little more. Trying to hide under the needed comfort of someone's presence. It made his heart churn. Watching this boy through a somewhat awkward angle after he had come to him for the content of having company to rest by. The protection of a warm body when you at your most vulnerable.

"Not a big fan of solitude either huh..." he murmured after a while. Content to relax while Lance fell back into a comfortable sleep once more. Maybe he could get Shiro to pick up his pain medication on the way home? So the pup could have it when he woke without having to wait through the hurt while Keith ran to the pharmacy to pick it up.. It wouldn't hurt to try, so he lifted hos phone back up from the floor where it had fallen from his grasp to text Shiro for it. Surely with Allura driving she'd be right happy to take the detour and let her man puppy grab it for him right? Clicking away at the send, the unanswered flurry of messages from Hunk promptly began to stare him in the face. All exclaiming the need to see the new member of their broken up family. Keith swallowed, flicking his haze down to Lance. While he could be cruel and let the man sit and chew on the drastic chunk of info he relented.

Clicking into the camera feature and flipping the screen to the hideous front face option. Angling the phone someone awkwardly with his one hand and the attempt to not drop it in the poor hybrid and scare him awake, he snapped. Taking an unpracticed shot.

Huh..it didn't, really turn out that bad. You could hardly see all of Keith's face. Only his nose and down since most of the angle had been focused on catching the companion. Curled up with the tip of his tail sticking out from the blanket. Looking utterly at peace with his nose buried into the midst of Keith's sheets. Cream and chocolate ears laid to the side in all their goofy glory while his face? Was warm with a happy blush that let his brows and closed eyes soften.

Happy...

Keith smiled, attaching the photo to a yext and adding it into the mess of his and Hunk's current conversarion stream.

_Message Sent [image attachment]; 3:16pm_

_Lance..._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> || I noted that I had an ask for my Tumblr? So here you go my bro! Thank you so much for asking, it makes me really happy that someone wants advice from me <3  
> Because I think my writing is kind of choppy. I'm so use to writing in an rp style instead of an on going story type of style. So Im sorry if people notice and it bothers you cause trust me it bothers me.  
> But seriously, feel free to follow my Tumblr! I usually just re-blog a ton of Voltron art/fandom news/animal videos and animal things. But you can always send me asks and I'll do my best to give you good answers! 
> 
> http://orangeboxfox92.tumblr.com/


	4. Some, Mistakes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith learns what it's truly going to take to shelter a companion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> || I am SO SORRY this took so long and that I've been a little radio silent. I've had a terrible couple of months and its been hard to motivate myself to do anything.   
> Hopefully this doesn't have to many typos;;   
> As for Hunk? You can bet your happy little selves that he will be in the next one, legit face to face!

Day one was, well uneventful to say the least. Not that Keith had any right to complain about that considering the long night that all of them had had.

Lance spent a better part of the afternoon sleeping against the raven haired man's chest. Completely oblivious to the intense need that Keith had to move his legs because they were starting to tingle from being still for so long. However, disturbing a sleeping well...puppy seemed like a great deal of crime to him so he suffered through both with lazy scrollings through netflix, thank God the controller to the PlayStation had been within reach, and via snapping Hunk.

The poor guy was in a damn tizzy over finally getting a response from Keith in the form of a selfie sent through their snapchat's. The ever elusive ninja of 'no-show' when it came to camera's. As much as he disliked being behind the lenses of a camera he could somewhat tolerate it when he was by himself. Without the pressure of having other people around because fuck if he sucked at _taking pictures._ He never knew what kind of expression to make nor was he ever able to find a decent angle to take it in. In his opinion? The only reason this one had come out decently was because of the fact that the lower half of his face was hidden by the companions tuft of untamed brown hair while he slept buried nose deep into a blanket.

Not that that helped calm his fluster fucked nerves any because Hunk had taken a screenshot. A bloody screenshot of it so he'd taken almost fifteen minutes of recovery to even respond back to the guy. Hence where they were now. Talking about Lance.

_[Text Recieved; 4:10pm Hunk] So..where did he come from? Other then you know, not your garbage cans so don't even think your funny for trying to respond with that!_

_[Text Sent] kill joy. don't know where he came from..Allura is still seeking out medical files from the registered owners he's had along with any hospital visits before this one._

_[Text Recieved; 4:13pm Hunk] poor little puppy boy...he's alone, there's nobody there beside him._

_[Text Sent] that's...a quote, and I don't like it so stop that._

_[Text Recieved; 4:16pm Hunk] Okay, yeah it is. But that's why your suffering with me and the rest of our unfortunate generation._

_[Text Recieved; 4:16pm Hunk] When am I going to see the doggo? He looks soft!_

_[Text Recieved; 4:17pm Hunk] Like tomorrow? Is tomorrow a good time for you?_

Keith temporarily looked away from his phone at the sound of the door being unlocked. Tilting his head back at an odd sort of angle so he could see the open archway that lead out of the living room itself. It was quiet for a whole point two seconds before the door opened and the sound of shoes being neatly set down one at a time. Definitely Shiro, so he sent a quick text to Hunk with the fact that he'd get back to him on that before setting his phone aside all together. However the obstacle of trying to move without disturbing Lance arose again and all Keith could do was blink down at him with a wary wince.

He really didn't want to bother the hybrid until they had a dose of pain medication waiting for him to help keep him comfortable. Keith knew what it was like to wake up from a surgical procedure without pills waiting for you. He had all four of his wisdom teeth removed only last year. Worst two and a half weeks of his life.

"Well. That was fast." Shiro commented, leaning out over the back of the couch with an amused grin at the sight of his brother stretched out on the cushions cradling the hybrid, Lance, in his arms. Keith angled a mild glare up at the grinning man as his cheeks flushed a light shade of pink.

"Whatever. He's surely hurting so he probably didn't want to be by himself. I had set him up in my room earlier." Keith explained in a flimsy sort of excuse. So what if it was kind of contenting, being sought out to be used as a pillow no less. Sue him maybe?

He hadn't ever been a big fan of giving up or even sharing his personal space growing up. It just wasn't a thing when you were raised in the system unless you were hopeful beyond logic and careless with your heart. After the first two families that Keith had been taken in by he had begun to learn that it was easier to overcome the pain of rejection if he never allowed himself to get to close in the first place. So he shut out simple things like hugs or hands to shoulders. Acting stiff or negatively to them because he was so sure that in the end he was always going to be given up again. But if he were really honest with himself? It had probably been a crippling behavior that had begun long before he was orphaned from his parents.

"Maybe he didn't like the smell of your room kiddo." Shiro commented playfully, turning away as Keith scowled with an offended glare. As much as he wanted to give chase he didn't because the hybrid was still comfortable and at ease on his chest. Despite the growing volume of their conversation.

"It does not smell, what're you talking about asshole?"

There was a chuckle that drifted from somewhere in the house which only cause his expression to pinch a little more in annoyance. It didn't smell that bad...if anything the lingering scent of his work clung to fucking everything because washing out the smell of a bar on your clothes was surprisingly difficult to accomplish. So every couple of days his everything began to get that stale scent of alcohol and he'd be made to start a load just to chase the smell off of his work clothes at least. It wasn't the worst thing you could come home smelling of he figured but it wa dnt exactly something pleasant either. However he had just done a load the other day before this even occurred! So there was no possible way..

"Your room smells like a teenagers bedroom Keith. You should probably try vacuuming it or something."

The raven haired man gave pause at that and knew immediately that it meant he'd lost this little jabbing war. If you couldn't pop off when the last time you had vacuumed right away then obviously it needed to be done. None the less he threw up a middle finger that was either going to go seen or unseen and he didn't care which. It was satisfactory just to do so.

"Medicine. Did you happen to stop by and grab It? I picked up yours earlier when I dropped the prescription off." Keith explained, waiting a few ticks before he looked back down to the resting boy. It bothered him. That they were having to worry about popping pills down this companions throat at all due to some horny alpha who thought they could lay claim to a lost _pup_. Someone who had only just become of age and was already having to try and battle the streets for life. Nature was an ugly thing in some instances he nearly grimaced with a scowl in place. This was the city, and this boy was almost human. There was no excuse. He didn't care what something like an ah...Heat or Rut entailed. Something shouldn't of taken place.

"Thanks." the older man spoke, coming back into view once more as he walked around the back of the couch. Moving over to take a seat in his favorite lazy chair. Keith almost laughed at the old man like habit had Shiro not continued. Derailing his humor with a good slap of the responsibility stick.

"His medication is in the kitchen. Allura warned that it's important he eat something first or it'll make him sick." Shiro warned, reaching for the television remote to ease the volume up just a little. Taking it from a low five to an equally still low ten, just enough for the words that were being spoken to be coherent. The older man was never to fond of silence like Keith. If he was going to have something running then he at least had to have some sort of noise filtering from it. Really, you would think it was the other way around with how much calmer and more mature in character Shiro was in comparison to Keith. But appearances never gave off all of the correct impressions one needed to fully know a person. Which is why the raven haired man was so, misunderstood at first glance. Pidge called his general aura 'edgy and emo' as a tease a majority of the time but looking in his closet Keith couldn't exactly argue. Most of his clothes were black with dark reds or even the occasional white. Gloves went with every outfit that was acceptable and if he wasn't wearing a muscle shirt then he was sporting something as simple as a plan T-shirt under a zip up jacket. Hell his wallet had a fucking chain on it for Christs sake! So of course his dark hair, vivid violet grey eyes and general neutral expression wasn't something that came across as friendly.

Yet? Keith never quite meant to seek such an impression out. If he had no reason to dislike a person then there was no point in acting like an asshole to them. He just couldn't help his blunt and sometimes dense way of talking when the mood in conversation was obviously meant to be playful. It was a million wonders he even managed to survive at a job where hospitality got you the extra cash. Luckily for Keith his silent behavior, general skill, and looks got him the tips. Apparently girls and the rare male alike craved his sharp attitude and strong features. To bad he wasn't looking to take home ever decent face that he met on shift for a fling. Those days were over..

"Right. Of course they would." he sighed out finally, reaching up to brush his bangs back as he thought of something small to feed Lance. If it had been a few days since his last meal? Over feeding the pup would make his stomach just as upset as the medication and he'd likely take a trip to the bathroom to throw up everything in the end anyways. So maybe scrambled eggs on toast would be okay? Did they have something like breakfast sausage left over? That'd probably be okay to throw in with the eggs for some kind of meat product. Things like breakfast foods never lasted long in the 'Gane household. Both of them were huge on having their largest meal in the morning. It was one of the few ways either of them functioned so early before the day called for them to begin their routines.

Things like supplies for omletes, waffles, or dull blown buffets didn't last until their next shopping trip. Which needed to be very soon if he remembered the state of their refrigerator. Nearly empty since it was almost the end of the week. Keith had already somewhat planned on calling in tomorrow from work anyways to make sure the pup was settled in to the best of their ability currently. So going to the store for food early seemed like a very adult thing to do. No matter how tired he was in the morning..

"Whelp. Late breakfast is it, I guess." Keith stated suddenly, lifting his arms to hover them over the unconscious boy for a moment with uncertainty. He wasn't exactly sure where to try and pick the snoozing companion up in a way that wouldn't hurt him right now. So he proceeded with caution. Managing to slid his arms around and under the boy so that his back and rump were supported. All while easing up off of the couch so he could tuck Lance back into the cushions. He was pleased at himself for doing so without fucking incident for mere seconds before those oceanic blue eyes sluggishly blinked open at the loss of warmth it seemed. Judging by the way Lance drew in his knees and tail a little more beneath his tangle of blanket stolen from Keith's bed.

"S'what're we doing..?" The pup mumbled, forming another full and coherent sentence like before. Lance wasn't dumb. He knew that the boy was capable of talking merely from the short time alone that they had had leaving the clinic before the hybrid had crashed out under the lull of a moving car. But it still surprised him none the less. He seemed more at ease to communicate with his eyes and facial expressions then words at first. Which given the circumstances that he had been found under, made sense. Luckily for Lance? Keith was coherent in poor social skills so he felt like he was reading his body behavior alright....right? Clearing his throat awkwardly now that Shiro was in the room to act as an audience Keith reached up to rub the back of his neck. To tease him with all of the material he'd gather no doubt. The bastard.

"Well, you need to eat something before taking more medicine. Uh..or it'll make you sick. Are you, hungry?" He questioned, trying not to raise his voice louder then needed encase the smaller boy was in fact in a great deal of pain. He had slept comfortably enough for who knows how long on the couch with him so he couldn't of been in to much pain just yet? The haze of sleep probably hadn't worn off yet so the pup wasn't feeling it right now.

"Yeah.." Lance mumbled, burying his face back in the midst of blanket covered hands to rub at his face. The action only cause his ears to flop and Keith almost felt his chest fucking melt at the action. He was literally fucked here..

"Just stay here and I'll make you something." Keith sighed softly, pinching at the bridge of his rosey tinted nose once he had passed around the back of the couch to go to the kitchen and whip something up. Thankfully nothing was teased at, yet. So he didn't say anything to Shiro who readily seemed to be lost in his phone now. The raven haired male didn't by that innocent facade for an instant. Regardless?

He shuffled into the clean kitchen and popped open the fridge to dig all of the ingredients out that he'd need. Setting two eggs in the sink to keep them from rolling off the counter to break, Keith pulled out a package of ham to cut up into bits for the pup to eat as well. Something like meat for protein was good when you were down for the count as long as his stomach could handle a meal that was a little heavier then scrambled eggs and toast. Bread being for the extra flavor and to hopefully act as an absorbent to keep the food down. Medicine was no good for pain if you couldn't prevent yourself from throwing up.

Laying out everything with an arms reach beside the stove that he would need Keith set a pan on to began warming over the burner. Leaving it alone long enough to spoon a small dollop of butter into the hot metal before stir it around to coat the bottom. Once he had cracked the eggs into the pan and whipped them around a bit to cook on their own? He true a piece of toast in the toaster and fished out a jar of jelly from the door shelves within the fridge. Keith had only just turned around to go back to the counter to pull a few thick slices of ham from the zip lock pouch when he heard Shiro laughing from the next room over.

"Here he comes buddy." the man called, still chuckling even as Keoth squinted with brows pinched in confusion. The hell did he mean...he would of asked. But the answer to that question came lumbering into the kitchen seconds after the thought. Dragging the blanket behind him as he moved across the tile to ease in close to Keith. Whom of which was blinking owlishly at the companion with curiosity. Lance slowed as he got to the last foot of space between them. Shuffling back and forth on socked feet with a tired look up at him that seemed to be asking something of Keith. When he didn't readily get it? The pup grumbled out a low whine and moved on his own with uncertainty. Just..like before, when he had sat for who knows how long and waited for Keith to give him permission to climb up on the couch and join him.

"Oh...uh, this is fine." he finally commented, looking down as the smaller boy took a spot by his right side. Where he stood almost ontop of his leg with a hunched stature that made him look even tinier then he really was. Keith knew he was a little malnourished from the time spent out on the streets no doubt. Allura had explained to them about his immediate health concerns while he signed his life away for this boy. But without any printed records just yet there was no telling what he had really gone through and if he had any more issues then what met the eye.

For now, she had insisted that it was important he get plenty of rest and have three decent meals a day so his weight could build back up. He was twenty pounds under what a normal and healthy companion his size should be anyways. The breed of him was still unknown until her request was filled. Which by Tuesday when he went back into the clinic to have him checked up on, he should have. Keith was kind of curious to see what the past held with Lance. So he could better understand how to, well take care of him from now on. He needed to know what they were truly getting themselves into if this was going to work. While Lance seemed sane and pretty docile now? There was no telling what really lay beneath the surface. Keith didnt think he had anything to fear in the way of violent behaviour. The companion had been attempting to pick up the trash bags he'd knocked out of their can for christ's sake. But if he had other issues, such as mental like them themselves had then he wanted to be prepared. Keith knew from expierence how to handle someone who was having a panic attack or night terrors that left them so disoriented they didn't know who or where they were through Shiro. He also had a pretty..decent handle on his own issues as well thanks to time alone. But that didn't mean he knew how to handle everything. For now? Lance only seemed to have an insistent need to be as close to him as possible. While he wasn't exactly use to having someone within his personal space so often like this? He wasn't about to tell Lance to back off. He had had a fucking rough night last night, so maybe he found assurance with being close to someone? Or as close as he thought was allowed. The pup was still standing there stiffly. As if he wasn't entire sure this was truly okay.

"You don't have to be so, anxious." He told the hybrid, causing Lance to actually look up at him with furrowed brows and thinned lips. Deep blue ocean eyes flicking about his face for confirmation, some kind of yes or no sort of answer. Keith sighed a little and bit his cheek between his back teeth out of habit.

Had he been told in the past to, not initiate something first? Like an unwanted house pet? Was this a thing he was going to have to work with?

Swallowing down an ugly lump of sour nerves the ravenette dropped a hand to hover it somewhat anxiously over the pup's head. Hesitating in the way Lance eyed his hand like it was a death sentence for a mere two point zero seconds before he looked down at his feet. Seemingly resigned for some fate whether it be good or bad. Good of course. Keith gently rested his hand atop this messy brown locks and found them to be incredibly soft. Somewhat untamed from being a little longer then probably need be, but his hair was pleasing to the touch. Like the warm underbelly of a true dog he noted oddly.

He began to scratch his fingers through the boys hair, just between his sleep folded ears that Lance finally loosened his uncomfortable looking posture. Sagging into Keith's leg with a sigh that he could hear over the sizzling of egg in the pan. Reminding him of the task he was supposed to be focusing on. So for good measure..he carefully brushed his callused fingers through Lance's hair to push his bangs back in a final show of 'yes, this is okay' before turning back to the meal he was making.

Now that the eggs weren't as soupy and uncooked as before, mixing in chopped bits of ham was a little difficult. Not all of it actually stuck within the fluffy yellow mass but he didn't think Lance would care. Once they were cooked thoroughly Keith stretched awkwardly towards the cabinet next to the stove to fumble for a plate. Not quite willing to move the leg that Lance was leaning on like a pathetically sad little thing. What was this boy doing to him? Honestly. Turning off the burner he dumped the eggs and ham onto the plate and pushed them to one side. Getting the toast however was another story all together. Keith slid his hand between Lance and his thigh to lift the boy's head up as a warning before he just pulled away and caused the hybrid to fall over. Lance watched the entire time he smoothed strawberry jelly onto the crunchy peice of bread with baited breath. One could almost hear his stomach twisting around eagerly just by looking at the boy's hungry eyes. Right, when was the last time he had eaten?

Without hesitating any further he walked over to the kitchen table with Lance in tow and set the plate down. Shooing the hybrid away from his struggle to pull the large chair out with one hand by waving his own at him. Keith picked the companion up and sat him down, pushing the chair up to the table so the now more awake and eager boy could reach the food.

The first thing that was plucked up was the toast. Pointed canine teeth sunk into the corner with a soft huff of surprised breath that was followed by the swish of blanket. It rose and fell against the cushion of the chair from the way Lance thunked his tail. The companion didn't even seem to mind the fact that every time he did so the furry appendage would hit the back of the chair as he crunched down on the jellied toast. Keith couldn't help but snort at him. At least Lance had a pretty healthy appetite so that was good news right?

"I'll get you something to drink..so stay right here." He explained first, not quite use to having to narrate his actions but he supposed that until Lance felt completely comfortable he would need to. Luckily the pull of food was to strong because this time the hybrid didn't move outside of turning at the hip to see how far he was going before returning to his plate.

Keith felt it was very necessary to take a look at this pain med that Allura had prescribed for him to take. As he tore open the bag he noted that there was what looked like an antibiotic as well. To be taken twice a day and also with food. Just like the pain pill he noted, spinning the bottle slowly as he read along the description to find how many times it could be taken. No less the two but no more then three a day as needed. He didn't recognize the name of the prescription at all but then again hybrid's probably had to take special medicines in comparison to humans. Sure they could eat anything that a human ate usually, but their diets and bodies still ran a bit different.

Depending on the breed it was important to make sure they got plenty of what they needed to stay healthy. At least that's what he noticed out in public when it came to the kind of food that could be ordered from companion menus at restaurants. Such as plates that had more fish product for feline companions and ones that had vegetation like quality for others. He had a lot to go over and he was already dreading the reading it would take. Setting the bottles aside he pulled down some glasses from the cabinet and poured himself and Lance a glass of cold milk.

"Hey, Shiro. Do you have a section on companion care at the store?" He called out, putting the glasses down on the table. One in front of Lance and another by an empty seat. The pup didn't even seem to notice at first. To busy battling the jiggly scrambled eggs with his spoon. Looking far to focused to note Keith walking away again to gather up a dose of each medication to give to the boy.

"I do, why?" Shiro called back absently, sounding alot closer this time and with reason. He walked around the corner and into the kitchen as well. Leaning against the counter for a brief moment before following Keith back over to the kitchen table. Ignoring the mess that the younger man had left out in favor of sitting across from the two boy's. Lance was definitely watching them now with distracted interest. Ears perked up to the best of their ability minus his one floppy left while he spooned eggs into his mouth. Chewing with childish intensity. Shiro frowned a bit at his eagerness.

"Don't eat to fast or you'll get sick." He commented gently, looking a little awkward at the way Lance immediately deflated. Chin guiltly ducking down as if he were being terribly scolded instead of gently warned. This made Keith also pinch his lips down in a frown.

"He means take your time. It's no rush, Lance." Keith assured quietly. The hybrid muled over it for almost a whole minute. Looking troubled at the scrambled bits of food left on his plate. Keith almost didnt think he was going to continue eating at all, but the smaller boy did. Moving much slower this time as he chased down a spoonful of egg and ham to pop it into his mouth. Chewing for a long moment before swallowing it to join the rest of the small meal. Unknowingly built tension left then and both men turned back to each other to talk.

"I'll stop in after work at some point to and try to grab something basic I guess." He went back to explaining. Sipping at his glass while Shiro accepted the bit of information. Nodding his head in approval.

"Alright. I'll sift through what we have then and see if I can find something useful. It's probably a good idea.."

Since neither of them had taken care of another being like this before. Not even a pet. Keith had fed a stray kitten once that lived by the dumpster at the orphanage he was staying in when he was younger. But the caretakers who helped run the place had chased it away claiming it was diseased and unsafe for the children. Outside of that Shiro nor Keith had really had a pet before. Fish didn't really count much and neither of them were interesting in having a ferret or gerbil of some sort. They did however use to babysit a dog for their elderly neighbors from time to time. Keith loved that little old lady to death. She use to set aside home baked treats for him and Shiro around the time school picked back up again. Claiming that it was important to reward yourself for working hard the first week. Both her and her husband had been sweet. But just like everything it had to end some time. The old couple passed away when he was thirteen and was found sleeping together in their bed by the daughter just a day later. It had broken him when he found out, but now that he was older he could appreciate that they had an easy passing.

"Did you take off tomorrow?" Shiro piped up suddenly, pulling Keith out of his thoughtful stupor with rapid blinks as he brought himself back into the present. Right, about that.

"You mean tonight? Yeah I called in on my way home. I have to go in at ten tomorrow to count inventory for the truck but other then that I'll be free. Why?" He squinted slightly, vaguely aware of the way the hybrid was looking between the two of them with some form of interest. Ears erect as they were capable of being with their seemingly always going to be dopey state.

"Alright. I should be back from physical therapy at eleven so..it won't be to quiet in the house for long."

It took Keith a few seconds before Shiro's implication clicked into place and he understood. Lance would only be alone for an hour and a half tops tomorrow thanks to Shiro being off again. His assistant Matt was working the store tomorrow if he remembered right so he had been lucky enough to have both of his off days in a row. Keith hasn't actually plotted that far ahead of he were honest and now that it had been brought up he felt a little anxious. Grey-violet eyes jumped back over to the hybrid in question. Non to surprisingly the pup turned his head away from Shiro to look back at him. Quietly chewing on the last of his jelly slathered toast with wide, watchful eyes. It'd of almost been comical were he not suddenly stressed the fuck out.

Lance would be alright by himself for that amount of time wouldn't he? Companions weren't mindless animals after. However this pup was already clingy..so what would he be like if no one was home? Because Keith certainly couldn't take him to his job considering he worked at a damn bar.

"Right, I think that works." he responded finally, shifting his gaze back to Shiro with a pinched look of promise. It was something that was going to have to be addressed before tomorrow lest the hybrid not have enough time to settle on the arrangement. What was the worst that could happen he questioned quietly to himself. Pushing up from the table and grabbing his glass of milk, he walked around the counter where his mound of mess sat untouched still. Sighing he turned on the sink and began to wet the sponge up. Dumping a dollop of dish soap on the rough top, he squeezed it a few times beneath the water to build up some suds before setting to work on the dishes. Scrubbing away at the smaller things like the knife he'd used to cut the ham and the spoon that had stirred up the eggs along with spreading the jelly. Keith hated doing dishes, but he also hated a cluttered sink and bugs more so he didn't dare leave anything untouched when it came to the kitchen. He knew better then that and so did the hybrid apparently.

There was a small tug at his joggers, just enough to get his attention. Keith tilted his head down to look at the pup with a raised brow and in turn? Lance blinked back up at him. Carefully balancing his plate and spoon in his small hands to be washed no doubt. The cup was still sitting a little under half full on the table where Shiro was typing away on his phone with an amused glint in his expression. He paid the man no mind and quietly took the plate from the boy with a small grin. That was enough for the hybrid because he was beaming back up at him briefly with a pleased, toothy grin. That's when he noted. The smaller boy still had a tooth gap...

Where a new canine was just barely starting to peek through. His stomach twisted in a mixture of displeasure and sympathy. Lance really was nothing more then a kid. A young literal pup amongst his own breed that had just barely reached a second stage of his life and was, attacked for it. He reminded him so much of himself that it was upsetting. Small, raggedy, hesitant to accept happiness when it was given. Though in Lance's case he seemed more willing to absorb as much of it as he could while he hand it and Keith? Well, he had shut them all out as a form of protection against the pain of desperation when a family decided they didn't want him anymore. This was fine. Keith wasn't exactly planning on letting Lance go back out there into the system like he had as a child.

In an odd stroke of protectivness the man reached down with a dampened hand, hesitating at the clear way that the companion stilled. Wide eyes watching the path of his fingers approach with mild apprehension. It went as quickly as it came when Keith made no move to advance unless Lance made the first step forwards.

..and he did. Leaning his head up until the raven haired male's fingers just barely touched the little one's curly hair. When Lance didn't find the touch to be a threat he pushed up suddenly, tilting his head into Keith's palm with a pinched looked. The same one he had worn when he'd silently asked to nap on the couch with him earlier. Gently he scratched his finger tips against the boy's scalp in a show of appreciation. While his eyes flicked over to his brother with a frown. Shiro had caught the entire display and was wearing an equally unamused expression.

What had happened to this hybrid in the past?

* * *

 

 

It was probably a good idea to hit the sack early. He was going to try and get in to work early so he could finish counting inventory before it was to late in the afternoon. That way he could take Lance to get some other clothes. The shirt he had been wearing was decidedly ruined from the blood stains that colored the white material a disturbing red. The shorts he had weren't to bad off, so at least he could wear that with one of Keith's old shirts if he really wanted to change out of the clothes that Allura had him fitted in from the clinic.

The man sighed at the sleeping figure on the right side of his bed. Slowing his working hands and letting his towel droop down to rest around his shoulders. It was going to be a busy day tomorrow. Could Lance actually handle going out like that for an extended amount of time without thoroughly exhausting himself? Giving him doses of pain medication put the boy out within twenty minutes tops from the drowsy side effects. Shiro had barely gotten him in and out of the tub before the caramel skinned canine was wobbling where he stood. Head bobbing with jerk-reactions to leaning to far to one side or the other.

Keith hadn't even argued with bedding arrangements. In fact he didn't even bring it up as he changed his sheets while his brother had taken care of getting the little one carefully cleaned. A tedious process that required a lot of wash rag use over water to prevent the stitching from getting to wet. Other wise they'd grow to tight for the skin and it'd likely hurt later on. Or, that's how Shiro explained it anyways. Which is why he took over the task under the taunt that Keith was a little to sloppy.

Whatever.

Lance had fresh blankets to keep him comfortable enough and he was oddly proud of that. Looking at the pup now he felt like he did the best thing for the companion by getting him tucked into his bed. Judging by this afternoon? There would of been no point in him trying to give Lance his spacious bed to sleep in while taking the couch again. The hybrid would of come back out once the medicine had worn off enough to let him wake, like before. So this time around he merely tucked Lance in on the far side of his bed. Near the wall to prevent him from rolling off the side of the bed in the middle of the night. It was kind of high up for a pup that barely reached his waist line, and Keith was an average five' eight in height to begin with.

"Guess we'll have to see how this goes.." He mumbled to himself, finally turning away to hang his towel back up on a hook that was just to the right of his closet. It was going to take some adjusting before things started to work smoothly with Lance being here, he knew that. But it didn't make all of the rocky roads that lay in between them and the smooth ride any less nerve wracking. As he climbed into bed and turned off his bedside table the entire situation really hit. What was he going to do with a person he barely knew anything about? Allura was compiling all of the medical and history records from his past but until then he really didn't know alot about Lance. Outside of basic information of course, but was that going to help him take care of him properly?

What if he had allergies?

Certain fears? Medical conditions, or even a distaste for some situations?

What if, Lance was suffering from some form of past trauma?

That display of hesitation and dejection in the kitchen not only once but twice was enough to make him at least question it. Lance had had a bad patch in his past somewhere..unless his personality was truly that timid.

He couldn't exactly be sure and just allow himself to jump to conclusions right away. Like assuming that the canine hybrid was someone, touch starved? Though it could just be in his dog like genetic make-up to crave that kind of attention. Yet if that were the case then why was he hesitant to ask or receive it?

Keith sighed heavily. Reaching up beneath his pillow for his phone. The time barely said nine..so, maybe Hunk was still awake? Frowning at the dim brightness of the screen he unlocked it and pulled up their text stream.

_[Text Sent] I don't know what I'm doing, man.._

The response came almost ten minutes later after Keith had rolled onto his back to stare at the ceiling. Maybe he was in over his head?

_[Text Recieved; 9:12pm Hunk] What do you mean?_

_[Text Sent] i have no idea how to care for some one else like this. i think i bit off more then i could chew.._

_[Text Recieved; 9:16pm] I beg to differ. Remember that time you brought me my favorite soup almost everyday last winter because i had pneumonia? Super caring. Also, you watch after Shiro like a hawk. Completely motherly. You also helped a random mall kid find his mom! Honestly? I'm not even surprised you took in a stray._

Keith snorted softly, rolling his eyes to the side as a dusting of red began to warm his chicks. Whatever, that seemed so..different then this. He knew Shiro and Hunk. He knew what they would and wouldn't need and what they could and couldn't have. His phone vibrated in his hands with another soft beep from a second text message.

_[Text Recieved; 9:17pm Hunk] Besides, you have us to help you out. That's what friend's do..unless.._

_[Text Recieved; 9:17pm Hunk] You think we aren't friends! :O_

The ravenette laughed before quickly smothering the sound. Shooting his gaze over towards Lance, but the companion was still fast asleep. Blankets rising and falling slowly in his contented rest. Swallowing he rolled back over onto his side so that his back was facing the boy. Blocking out the light from his phone just encase as he fiddled around with the touch screen for some sort of response. Hunk was right. He had support through them just like, he always had with his other issues in the past. But it didn't exactly ease the worry he was already building up. He still didn't know any thing more about Lance nor how to care for a companion. It was only the first day however..so, with time Keith could gather the information. He just hoped that Allura could give him the hybrid's files sooner rather then later.

_[Text Sent] as if. i'd be in a ditch if you didn't stick around. any ways, thanks._

_[Text Recieved; 9:28pm Hunk] Anytime buddy. Goodnight alright? And tomorrow!!_

_[Text Sent] jesus christ, yes. soon, good night..doofus._

Keith smiled faintly before tucking his phone back under his pillow once he had plugged it up again. Other wise he'd stay up on it all night.

Right, he could handle this as long as he proceeded carefully couldn't he? Breathing out a long exaggerated sigh the man closed his eyes and willed the swirl of thoughts to go away so he could at least try and sleep. Not like he expected it to come easily. Which, it didn't. Keith tossed and turned throughout the night not only over his minds unwillingness to shut itself down but for the fact that he just wasn't use to having another person in his bed. Or his room for that matter. Shiro never stayed long whenever he came in to talk. Usually over something like who was going to the store this time and when some sort of bill was going to be paid this week. Normal things that took five to ten minutes at a time. It was the same for Shiro as well. Keith didn't go in his room unless he absolutely had to because he respected the man's personal space. That was his sanctuary just as much as his room was to him and they didn't mess with each other's things.

Most of the time, tsk.

Shiro had pulled the all clear wrap trick on his door one time as a punishment for literally sleeping in until two in the afternoon once after making the guy pick him up because he was to wasted to drive. One could imagine that he was not happy.* Sleep must of come at some point or another, because his phone was buzzing with the blaring of a muffled alarm. Keith growled and jerked the obnoxious thing out to tap at the dismiss button. Eyes blearily blinking at the time he couldn't help but scorn his previous night's thought track for wanting to get this shit done earlier then normal. The digital display on his phone screen read 7:30.

To damn early for anything but running if you asked him. Yet the quicker he got this done with the better. So the man reluctantly swung his legs off of the bed and slid onto his feet. Shuffling over to the closet out of routine habit, Keith plucked out a pair of black jeans and a decent white button up shirt. No one was going to be there customer wise anyways. But if his assistant manager decided to drop in for whatever reason he didn't want to get shit for wearing 'pajamas'.

Usually counting inventory wasn't even his job but the head manager was out and the current assistant that was just over him was a lazy douchebag. The only way this was going to get done was if he did it himself and he'd rather not have his ass handed to him by the boss when he got back from vacation in the next two days. Keith dragged himself out into the hallway and over to the restroom across the way. Flicking on the light and closing the door with a gentle click. Getting dressed and ready was never something that took Keith a great deal of time. He wasn't one to truly fret over his appearance and especially not for work. Depending on the night he might put some extra effort into the way he looked for tips sake? But today he merely threw on his clothes and tied his hair back in a low ponytail. He was going to be the only one there anyways so why should he bother? Washing his face and scrubbing his toothbrush over his teeth, Keith deemed himself worthy of the public eye.

Now..what about Lance?

He doubted that the boy would wake up before he got back. Nonetheless. He went to the extra effort of whipping up something, a pair of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, for him to eat later on if he got hungry. Keith carefully wrapped them up with clear wrap and sat the sandwiches on the lowest shelf in the fridge in the dead center so they could be seen by the hybrid. Right along side a childish box of juice for the boy. He was cutting corners, already. Keith knew that as he paced through the quiet house and back to his room to check on Lance. It would of been better to wake him up and make sure he took his medication with some food..but he also didn't see himself being gone for more then two hours at the most and it was hardly mid-morning so he suspected that the pup would sleep through his absence.

Frowning slightly, he walked over to his desk and pulled open the top draw. Grabbing at the notepad there he wrote out a short note for the boy and left the pad on the bed beside him. Promising to be back soon. He knew what it was like to wake up to a purely empty house. It was unsettling and Shiro was sure to be out by now so he could get to therapy in time. It always started by eight on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Feeling none to assured the man slipped into his shoes at the front door and grabbed his keys from the side table before locking up and leaving.

The roads as expected were fucking slammed with traffic from people all trying to get to their own jobs. So he had to fight to get to the club for almost an hour in itself, which was the first thing that set off his day in the shit sucking sort of direction.

The second? Was that his assistant manager, Rolo, was actually there when he arrived. Doing his actual job so there was clearly no reason for him to of even gotten up at all but the man saw his car pull up so he was reluctantly roped into staying anyways. Two heads were faster them one. If they didn't try to talk your ear off while continuously getting distracted with said talking.

"You look like you've had a long night there hot shot." Rolo mused from his perch on a ladder. Eyes dully focused on the spare liquor bottles they kept stocked there while he spoke. Don't get him wrong. The man was a pretty decent person. It wasn't as if he didn't get along with Rolo when they worked together because for the most part? The guy left Keith to work on his own because he was fast and efficient. Customers loved it when he worked because he could slam drinks out like nobodies business when he was on a good mood. It got him the extra tops, and it cleared up the bar area quickly. So the crowds didn't hover and make the area feel fucking small and smothered. The one thing he did dislike however was Rolo's need to drawl out conversation. Everything about this man was smooth and casual paced. To slow relaxed for Keith if you asked him. Who was he to judge though? Rolo dragged in business just the same as the rest of them so he got the job done. People also liked talking to the guy as well which was a plus since they left Keith alone conversation wise.

"Very long night. So I'm ready to get out of this place and sleep it off." He vaguely responded, tallying the amount of Jack Daniels they had before moving onto the next rather quickly. The quicker he moved the faster he could leave. The quicker he moved the faster he could leave. The quicker he moved the faster he could....leave?

Keith paused at the same time Rolo did when a phone started ringing. For a second he thought it was his cell, but the he turned to the other male and found that he was eye balling the old black chord phone on the counter. Line one was flashing rapidly to match the erratic screeching of the phone.

No one ever called this early because Arus didn't even open until nine at night. Setting aside his tablet on the countertop, Keith paced to the end of the bar area and picked it up.

"Hello?"

There was silence.

"Okay? If you don't say anything I'm going to hang up the phone because I'm incredibly busy and you -- "

"Keith. It's me you sloth, Shiro?" Keith paused at that. His brother never called his work phone unless it was an emergency.

"Are you okay?" the ravenette asked warily, trying to take inventory of the situation by listening to the noise in the background. He didn't hear any shuffling or heavy breaths from an oncoming or well set panic attack so there was that anyways.

"I am, but I need you to get back home." Shiro insisted, sounding distracted as he seemingly moved through the house.

Looking at the clock on the far wall he noted that it was ten forty. So his physical therapist must of let him out earlier then normal of he was already out and free to make calls. "Why? I have about thirty more minutes of work and I'll be finished up here - "

"No good. I need you to get back home. Lance is having a panic attack."

Keith froze. A...a what? He pulled the phone away from his ear for a moment before putting it back to the shell of his ear. Slightly turning his body away from the now hovering Rolo, he swallowed. Clearing out his throat.

"I'll be there..just, see if you can get him breathing. Like we do?" he instructed quietly, growing all the more anxious because now he could hear it. Hear the sounds of wheezing air and dog like whimpers. Fuck. This was bad. He shouldn't of even stayed when he saw Rolo's car sitting in the parking lot. Hell he shouldn't of even stopped at that point, but he had because he was a fucking work-o-holic who needed the extra hours to make up for last night's shift. This was his fault.

"I can't exactly get him out from under your bed." Shiro whispered steadily. From the shuffling he assumed that the man was getting down to Lance's level.

"That's okay. I'm going to hang up now so I can leave. Be there in twenty." he stated promptly before hanging up the phone and digging his keys from his jeans pocket. He didn't even waste time in standing around to explain to Rolo what the hell was going on and why he looked like he was suddenly going to throw up across the clean floors.

"I gotta go. Family emergency. So finish up without me." Keith blurted, hopping over the counter and all but running across the large floor space to get to the front door. He didn't hear what the man had to say as he struggled to unlock the front door and bolt out of it into the chilly fall air. Keith ran to his car across the parking lot and jerked the driver's door open without hesitation. Rolo was poking his head out of the building yelling something, but Keith was already backing out of the parking spot and putting his car into drive. No time he frowned, feeling that sick wave of fear rise up in his stomach and throat. Just like it did when Shiro called him during an episode. Barely able to breath and tapping his hands or fingers on a hard surface in Morse code to warn Keith of what was going on. It was a system that they had made for each other over the years. When the man couldn't talk because he was so out of his mind that his throat was closing up he would beat out help in code. Loud enough and always repeatedly until Keith was able to decipher the message and begin talking him through the panic. It was different this time though.

Lance was completely different.

So he had no idea what he was about to walk into when he got home. But as soon as he did he turned his car off and bolted out of it and up to the porch. Thankfully the door was left unlocked, so he didn't had to wrestle with it. His hands were shaking to damn bad to be able to force a key into a small slot and work the handle open. With reason it seemed. As soon as he pushed the front door open he was greeted with chaos. The pillows from the living room were thrown about in the hallway that led T'd off from the entryway and onto the long narrow hallway that led to their bedrooms and bathroom. One of the blankets that Keith had wrapped Lance up in last night was just barely peeking out from around the corner and as he walked further into the house? He fully began to take in the damage. The living room was a mess. Things that had been stacked on the edge of the table infront of the couch looked like they'd been knocked over in a clumsy rush. Scattering magazines and remotes with missing backs across the carpeting. A glass that had been left was spilt across the ground as well, leaving luckily, an uncolored stain. Backing away from the room with its scattered knick knacks he paced down the hall. Deciding to ignore the crazy state of the open bathroom in favor of heading into his room. He shouldn't of been surprised at the state it was in. But he froze at the open doorway in surprise anyways.

Nothing was as it had been left this morning. His bed was completely bare of sheets and his pillows were scattered about with everything that had been resting on his desk. His shoes and anything else that had been resting in the bottom of his closet? Thrown about the room in some mad sort of frenzy that had shattered his lamp. Leaving glass on the carpet and splatters of, red droplets. His wide grey-violet eyes finally found Shiro's equally stormy ones with a shared glance of distress. What the hell happened?

"Is he hurt?" Keith croaked out after a moment, moving over to sit on his knees beside the bed next to Shiro. Where some of his sheets poked out in a tangled mess. He could here the puppy like whines and human made sniffles from beneath his bed. It, was probably one of the worst sounds he had heard in a long time and it only made him feel a great deal worse knowing that he had been the cause of this. If he had come straight back home? The Lance wouldn't be panicked like this.

"I'm going to assume that he is. I got his breathing to slow, but he refuses to come out and let me look him over.." Shiro explained softly, keeping his voice no louder then a mumble to prevent the companion from growing more afraid then he already was. Neither of them tried to comprehend why the house looked a mess. They already knew what blind panic did to you. They had been suffering from it for years.

Shiro moved out of the way so that Keith could get down on his side and peer beneath the raised mattress. It took a few seconds of squinting into the dimly lit darkness beneath his bed before he found Lance. The boy almost looked feral. Not in a violent and threatening manner, but a horrified and completely lost one. His eyes were wide and boring directly into him with brief stents of eye contact as his blue hues jumped from watching him to looking down and avoiding Keith all together. He had his hands curled in terribly trembling fists against his chest, hidden amongst the bunched up blanket that was balled in a tangled mess between them. His knees nearly knocked together from the stronger tremors shaking his body in a constant pattern. Keith couldn't even see his tail because it was curled so tightly against his body in a clear sign of submission and distress.

Okay..he could do this. He'd talked Shiro down from panic fits before. Same concept right?

"Lance?"

No response.

Not like he expected one right away. It was good to make yourself known, recognizable and predictable to a person when they were having a full on panic attack. Or in the progress of going back into one. Shiro had gotten him to calm back down some what from what he said, but with two different faces now Keith had probably sent him spiraling back in the opposite direction again.

"Do you want to stay there, or come out for a little bit?" Keith questioned softly, keeping his hands very visible in front of himself. The other boy jerked at the question and receded in on himself. Turning his face away and into his shoulder with a broken whine of anxiety. So he wasn't ready to come out yet, that was fine. You could only move them if they wanted to. That's how it worked with his brother when he was sent into an episode. Shiro would only move if he didn't feel comfortable where he was and in most cases? Keith got to him when he had already holed himself up in a spot that he felt safe in. Usually a corner, or behind something like the couch or his own dresser if he had the flashbacks in his room. Places that felt small and protected. Lance? Apparently worked the same way.

"There's nothing to be afraid of okay? It'll be over soon, but I need you to breath. Do you think you can do that?" he heard Shiro move behind him, but he didn't turn away to see what he was doing. Keeping his focus solely on Lance. He still wasn't looking at Keith, but he was listening. The ravenette could tell in the way the pup's ears were slightly perked. That was good. He was at least recognizing that he was here instead of shutting him out in blind panic.

He started to breath in a calculated manner from pratice. Slowly and with exaggerated motions he began to breath. Inhaling for four seconds before exhaling and waiting another four seconds. He was sure he probably looked like a gaping fish right now but Lance wasn't paying attention to that to begin with. He had circled his arms around his face and throat like a protective shield now. So all he could vaguely make out with the help of his bedroom's over head light was the rapid way Lance's mouth opened and closed in huffs of wheezing air. He expected that. So Keith kept his even pace.

Inhaling....exhaling.

Inhaling....exhaling.

Inhaling....exhaling.

He didn't know how long he lay there on the bedroom floor going through a basic breathing exercise. But his shoulder began to go to sleep from staying in the same position and Shiro had long since returned. Staying a short distance away so the nervous companion didn't feel crowded or threatened. It eventually started to work.

Lance's erratic breath began to slow down. His hiccuping whimpers dying off into hoarse sounding breaths that slowly grew to match his own. Keith couldn't help but smile in relief despite the fact that they were still in delicate waters. The boy was shaking, not near as hard as before but enough that he could see it. That was still progress.

"See? It's alright now.."

No? Lance audibly whined, long and keening.

"Are you..still afraid?" He frowned, fingers twitching with the need to reach towards the boy and just...do something for him. Keith felt like he wasn't accomplishing anything here no matter how hard he tried. As soon as he got Lance calm then the boy for hyped up all over again. Going through a tug of war wasn't exactly healthy for the boy. He closed his eyes to try and contemplate. Put himself in Lance's position so he could understand..

Oh..

"Lance, your not in trouble. It was..it was my fault. I shouldn't of left you by yourself without letting you know, okay?" Keith murmured, waiting for a moment to see if the other was listening before he continued.

"I don't care if anything is messed up. It was, just an accident. No big deal. So no one is upset with you. I'm, not mad at you.." Lance was looking at him now. Peering out from behind the cover of his arms with a wide expression that reflected much like a cats with the low lighting. It'd of been weird if he wasn't so on edge about getting the other to come out from hiding. They needed to check him over for injury. It was incredibly likely that he had cut himself on the broken glass or even disturbed the wound on his shoulder again. If that was the case then they needed to go back to the clinic and have him checked in and taken care of. Which at this point he was more then willing to do for the boy. This was his fault to begin with and he was going to fix it.

"Come here..please? You're okay, i swear.." he hummed, gently stretching his hand out towards the hybrid. Lance seemed to draw back from it for a second. Eyeing his open palm with a pained expression before the desire to find comfort got the better of him. It was just a small stretch at first. Neck straining so he could lightly sniff at the tips of his fingers. Then all at once he was moving forwards very suddenly. Scooting his body across the carpet until he was coming out into the lighting with eyes full of glossy tears. Keith didn't even give himself the time to over think things and make himself awkward. He just circled his arms around the companion and rolled onto his back to sit up. Cradling Lance against his chest as the companion broke down and cried. Small fists balling up Keith's shirt as he sobbed into his chest with big alligator tears and loud wails. This time he didn't think it was panic that spurred the boy, but relief. Heart wrenching gut busting relief.

The raven haired man looked over Lance's soft tufts of brown locks at Shiro. Both pairs of faces wore nothing but strained expressions while Lance's crying voice filled up the space between them. What the hell had been done to this boy?

"Shh..shh.." he breathed, resting his chin atop the hybrid's head. Lips drawing thin while Lance let himself go. He realized now that this pup had a fear of being completely alone and the new discovery _hurt_. Right in the center of his chest like a tight, crushing force that wouldn't unwind because in this instant?

Keith might as well been holding onto a younger version of himself.

Afraid of being abandoned and afraid of becoming a mess up. To much of a trouble to bother with anymore. Not this time damnit. Material items could be replaced with time, but people were living feeling things. They should never be judged like an object of worth that could be tossed away if they lost their luster for even a second. How many times had he acted out of line just once or twice as a child and ended up getting himself returned to his counselor like a defective toy?

"You're safe here.." he whispered, rubbing his hand firmly against Lance's shoulder. Promising the companion what he wished he could of been told when he was a child. Young and trying to act well beyond his years to look after himself when no one else would.

"You're alright Lance..i promise.."

* * *

 

"That warm enough?" Lance moved his hands back and forth just beneath the surface of the water. Testing out the temperature before looking up with a boyish nod that bobbed his goofy ears.

"Good deal." Keith grinned subtly, sitting down fully beside the bath tub with a huff of air.

It had taken almost two hours to coax Lance out and let the sun touched kid to finally wear himself out and grow quiet from exhaustion. All the while? Keith kept him held protectively within his arms. Promising reassurances within his own consciousness while the smaller boy cried. Clinging to his shirt front like it was the last time he'd have the chance to do so. Which, only wore Keith down a little more. Had this hybrid been abandoned before for something like this? Is that why he had been so afraid to come out from beneath the bed because he was terrified that he was going to be forced out for making a mess of things? It hadn't been his fault. If anything it was Keith's for not knowing and going on ahead to leave him alone without better forewarning. So he couldn't be mad even if he really wanted to be. Once the boy had quieted down the two of them decided that a good cleaning was in order, in more ways then one of course. A majority of the house only needed to be picked up and reorganized considering most of the damage was in Keith's room where Lance was when he first woke up..by himself. He insisted that his brother leave it alone for him to fix later.

For now? The raven haired man was going on the floor beside the bath tub. Watching as the younger male pulled a rag back and forth in the water while he carefully massaged soap through his chocolate brown locks. Keith had, never really done this before..as in ever. He's always had to do things for himself growing up so he didn't get to expierence bath time with a parent. Not that he was saying he considered himself to be Lance's parent or anything...just that this was something he could see one doing for their kid or something. To be honest the repetitive motion was almost relaxing and Lance didn't seem to mind the menstrations either as he quietly entertained himself. Being still enough that Keith didn't slip up and get soap on his face. 

"Okay." he hummed, pulling his hands away to rinsing them off in the water before Lance got it to soapy after a good ten minutes of toying with this kid's hair.

The pup turned back to look at him for a moment with a small sniffle. He hadn't so much as spoke or even flashed him a smile since he'd calmed down. Probably from remorse or underling worry over being in hot water still. Even though he'd never been in the boiling pot to begin with. Sighing Keith snatched up the cup that was floating in the water nearby and filled it up with a drag through the tub. Lance caught on quickly enough that he was going to be rinsed because he put his hands over his eyes. Ducking his head down. Keith rose a brow at how fluid the motion was but didn't comment as he carefully began to rinse the suds from his hair. Scrubbing his fingers gently through while being mindful of the boys ears all the while. They were drooping heavily from water and soap. Almost making Lance look more beat down then he really was now. Clucking his tongue with a brief lop sided grin he filled up another cup. Repeating the process until he was sure he got all of the soap out of his hair. No sooner had he set the plastic cup aside was Lance shaking his head furiously. Flinging water everywhere in the process.

"Lance -- "

It surprised Keith enough that he jerked back, eyes squeezed shut as he got a face full of bath water. That was definitely a dog thing he mused. Cracking an eye open when he thought Lance was finished to find that the younger was looking at him.

" Pfft - okay that takes care of that." Keith laughed, finding the way the hybrid's hair had literally fluffed up to almost smother his dopey ears to be funny enough to warrant a good chuckle. Lance must of not expected the sound at all because he was tilting his head and blinking at the raven haired man as if he had spoken in another tongue for a moment. It was kind of cute..

"Having fun in here?" Shiro mused, leaning against the door way as the two of them interacted together. Keith whipped his head around to look at the man with a momentary expression of surprise before he turned back around with a huff of embarrassment.

"Maybe, but you wouldn't know what fun is." He taunted, leaning up on his knees to pull the plug to the tub so the water could go ahead and start draining. Smirking at the way Shiro snorted behind him in disbelief while he kept his focus on Lance. Amused at the way the boy was watching the spiral of water as it was sucked away down the drain.

Another quirk? Lance was easily entertained.

"Uh-huh. Says a guy who would spend all day in bed over the sun?" Shiro teased, handing Keith the towel from the counter that he was blindly fondling for.

" Sure, but you go to bed by nine pm." Keith retorted, unfolding the towel so it was completely opened up for the pup. Who had picked up on the fact that bath time was reluctantly over. He stood from the half empty tub and folded his arms over his chest just as Keith threw the towel around the kid and scooped him up from the water.

"Because I am a tired fully grown adult to your hair brained teenage clinging self." Keith laughed, waving his hand at the older dismissively once he set Lance onto his bare feet. The pup was immediately taken by the plush rug and started to idly curl his small toes to absorb the feeling of it.

"No adults allowed, shoo." Keith mused, laughing softly as Shiro shook his head but turned around to leave anyways. Giving them the extra space in the small bathroom to maneuver. The companion stood almost timidly, waiting for some sort of instruction it seemed like with the way he merely held the towel closed around his small frame. Lance was to thin for his liking. But that was something regular meals and exorcise would fix eventually with due time so he wasn't worried about that. He would personally make sure the boy had enough food in his stomach, clothes on his back, and all the company he could handle if that's what it took to keep him happy and satisfied.

Shiro's teasing over his terribly one tract mind wasn't far from the mark however..

He hadn't thought this far ahead when he chose to take Lance into his custody so to speak by adopting him before someone else could snatch him up. Purchasing clothes and necessities for an entire new being as well as having to re-evaluate his daily schedule so it would work for them both. It was obvious after today that he wasn't going to be able to keep up with working at a club and making sure that Lance was taken care of. Companions weren't allowed in his place of work, for obvious reasons. So taking him with him wasn't going to cut it there. Which meant he'd need to find something else more friendly. Keith wasn't going to let there be another repeat of today again. Not if he could help it.

"You still doing okay?" he murmured, allowing for once in his life to let the concern he held for this hybrid to leak into his soft spoken voice. To assure to the younger boy that he was still fine. No one was angry. Nothing had changed. It must of struck a finely held together nerve in the tan skinned companion because those blue eyes grew glossy again and his lips began to warble. He truly was scared that he was in trouble still despite his reassurances otherwise.

"Shh, shh none of that." he chuckled, drawing up some of the towel to dab at Lance's face as gently as he could before the little canine started to cry all over again.

"Come on, dry yourself up so I can unwrap your shoulder and bandage that hand.." Lance nodded into the soft towel with a shaky whine, but obendiantly took a hold of the large cloth to start drying himself off to the best of his ability. This gave him time to gather up some bandages from the first aid kit and laying them out on the counter next to some more of his old clothes. They really had to go shopping tomorrow, damn. He'd have time to do it to because as far as he was concerned work was on hold until further notice.

Quietly Lance rubbed the towel over his head, mussing up his hair even more so then before while Keith held up a fresh pair of underwear. Patiently waiting for the smaller to decide that he was dry enough for clothes. He sat the towel aside temporarily to help the companion slip into the bottoms. Which might as well of been high risen shorts.

"Hold up your arm..?" he asked, that way he could seek out the ending of the clear wrap. It took him almost five minutes to both find it and free Lance's shoulder from its cling, but as soon as he did Keith slipped his own shirt over the kid. It swallowed him of course, looking more like a dress then a T-shirt shrunken by over washing. But Lance didnt exactly seem to troubled over it. If anything he was more curious. Quietly sniffing at the longer sleeves a few times before that still damp tail began to flick back and forth timidly. Keith huffed out a soft breath of amusement at the reaction.

"You can keep it if you want it. I haven't worn that in a long time." he, explained taking the hand that Lance had been favoring the entire time to look it over. He had a few scrapes and a couple of bruises here and there, but over all the majority of the damage was done in the form of small cuts from the glass. Across a few fingers at different joints where he had probably tried to pick up the sharp glass after it had been broken. Keith sighed in sad understanding, leaning up onto his knees once more to grab some of the box of bandaids from the countertop.

He knew what it was like to accidently make a mess and attempt to hide it. So that your foster home would be upset with you and throw you out for being a hassle. His anger or hurt got the better of him more often then not when he was younger and it didn't always lead to forgiveness. The Shirogane family had been one of the few who readily worked to do just that. They didn't let him slide when he messed up of course, but they didn't return him like a broken toy either. They gave Keith a system and he learned that that meant he was going to be there long term. That for once he was going to be allowed to stay. The official adoption came exactly one year after he was brought into their home. On the day that he had arrived as a sort of anneversy. It had been incredibly cheesy, but Keith appreciated it all the same because he had cried like a big fat baby denied another bottle for being greedy. He had just..wanted to belong somewhere so damn bad and they gave him that.

If he could help It? He'd give the companion the same thing.

With steady hands, Keith wrapped bandaids around the small cuts on his hand before rubbing in antibacterial cream along the other little scrapes. All seemingly located along the outter edge of Lance's hands. Like he had been beating in a door that didn't give. It made his stomach twist up with unforgiving guilt for having done this to the boy. For making him fear that he had been abandoned..

"There.." he hummed quietly, picking the towel back up so he could give Lance's hair and ears another round. Just to make sure they were thoroughly dried of any hideous amounts of water. Lance actually laughed briefly when Keith smushed his cheeks together purposely with the intent of lessening the tension in the air. Where he kept his hold on the boy. Towel wrapped around Lance as he held him by the face. He didn't ever want to see those blue eyes upset like that again.

"We're going to get you some clothes of your own tomorrow..alright? Things that you want. I'll make room for whatever you pick in my closet so they don't get wrinkly." 'I'm going to officially incorporate you into my home. My space. Where you now belong.' Lance appeared to of caught onto the hidden implication. Because that subtly freckled face? Splotched red from tears, lit up.

Happy, he deciphered.


	5. Over Done it

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Its about time Keith.

Keith remembers the first time he was able to pick something for himself.

It was liberating as much as it was overwhelming. The amount of times he was brought into a home and given the freedom to make choices was few and in between until he found his true family in the Shirogane's household. To put it lightly? Keith hadn't been prepared to be driven to a strip mall where he was taken from one store into the next and was encouraged to pick things he personally _liked._ It had honest to god made him sick. Not from hate or disgust but from the sheer pressure of both being judged for his tastes and making an attachment that wouldn't last. At the time, it was such a real fear. Something that had made his palms sweaty enough to be wiped on his cargo shorts every few minutes because it had been a big deal back then. Being able to pick an outfit he thought looked 'cool' or to leave with a pair of shoes that had flare instead of basic, clean cut looks. Hell. When the concept that he was allowed to decorate his room with whatever he wanted came into the light? Keith's first response had been to cry. No one had ever given him the choice before. Rooms were always furnished when he arrived with things the foster parents wanted. Clothes usually consisted of hand-me-down's or neat looking outfits to make him appear more proper then what he really was. A lost, rowdy boy.

The Shirogane's had been different though. Even from the start they had a very new and welcoming deamoner about them. They didn't treat him like a guest to the home, but more like a cousin who had never been over to visit their distant relatives. Takashi's mother, Amane, had been the bridge he needed to find a home that he could call his own. When he was older Keith found out from his father that Amane had suffered from ovarian cancer almost two years before they found him in that facility for troubled children. At first he hadn't been sure what to feel about that. Whether it be bitterness over being a spot filler or guilt for taking a place in their house that could of belonged to a biological child, he wasn't sure. But as he grew older? Keith realized he was lucky. That woman had craved to give a kid who had nothing everything because she couldn't produce one of her own anymore and not only her husband? But her son, Takashi had been more then eager to do the same. Keith had just been to blind from insecurity and fear to of realized it sooner. Which was fine. They were patient, amazing people that he now owed his very person to as far as he was concerned. Kids like him thrived on guidance and warmth, it was just unfortunate that not everyone who started out in the system got to have that in the early stages of life.

It was going to be different for Lance. He didn't exactly know what he was doing, but he'd do his damned best to give him the same safe place that the Shirogane's had and still do.

Which put them at the mall on a Saturday afternoon. Standing in front of one of the largest companion specified stores on this side of town at least. Most of if not a majority of the third floor was made entirely to service hybrids for a variety of things. From finding clothes, diet specific vitamins and foods, toys and stem objects, to groomers who knew how to style or cut hair around sensitive ears without harming them. Since most Companions were small in stature and carried extra, appendages their clothes had to be special made. That way tails weren't pinched up in jeans and ears had the extra room within hats to make it comfortable to wear. It was an understatement of sorts to say that Lance, was entirely overwhelmed. Stuck in the exact boat that Keith himself was sitting in. A drift in a crowded sea of other little sail boats that all had loud voices and honking horns in the form of ringing phones and hooting laughter. Keith shifted on his worn out vans uncomfortably as he took in a long drag of stuffy air to calm his nerves. He hated large bodies of people when they weren't all focused on the same general thing. The vibe was always chaotic, as it should be when they were all doing their own things on their own little time slots. But it didn't mean he had to like it any more or less. There was a reason why his hands always have a glass cup of amber or the cancerous burn of nicotine in them to occupy him from the mass of moving forms around him. Heavy beats of music pounding in his ears as it dictated the way the crowd moved together. All rolling to the tune and ignorant of one another and yet completely swayed by the same thing. In sync. In tune.

This? Che, this was a fucking mess he snorted. Looking down at the pup hovering by his side. He was here for Lance after all. Yet the companion hadn't moved from his spot beside him since they had both stepped foot into the mall. Not out of fear maybe, but out of respect to the fact that he was here with Keith. To be following him so that he wouldn't get lost. A warning that he had assured Lance understood before they even stepped out of the car. The raven haired male wasn't sure if he could handle heart attack like loosing a pup in the middle of a three story high building of gaggling teenagers and prudish adults. Nope. Fucking hell no. Definitely not. Yet the bubble of excitement that hung off of Lance was enough to let him know that the boy was struggling to comply. He wanted to run. To sniff out all of the sights and listen to all of the new sounds while he felt good at least. That lone two toned and erect soft ear sitting atop his head shivering and jumping. Tilting this way and that to listen to all of the uncomunnitable sounds of the companions as the yipped, mewled and chirped to each other in passing. His baby blue ocean eyes were wide and stupidly unfocused. Rolling from one sight to the next as his nose twitched with his quick sniffs.

It..was kind of cute. In a dog like manner he figured. To have the small boy in baggy clothes holding onto his hand while leaning up into his toes. That subtly curled tail wiggling back and forth in jerks like no one would notice the fact. He kind of wished he had someone to oogle at Lance's stance, but alas it was just him and the companion. Standing awkwardly in front of the clothing store like a couple of weirdos due to Keith's own reluctance to dive into the place. Welp he sighed, here goes nothing. Take one for the team right?

Keith gave Lance's hand a small squeeze to gain his attention. Pulling the pup away from his vigorous scouting of the place with a thin smile that was meant to be warm. Instead of slightly pinched. Not that the chocolate haired boy seemed to notice and if he did? He didn't act affected by his expression. "Let's get this thing over with." the ravenette grumbled, stepping forwards to lead his companion across the passing streams of loosely grouped people. "Remember the rules?" He asked once they passed through the threshold of the large store. Instantly being greeted by a women dressed in black and blue, the general color scheme to the brightly lit store. He gave her a small nod but for the most part kept his attention on Lance. Who was blinking up at him with furrowed brows. "Don't run away. Or, I'll get lost?"

His voice still had a hoarse quality to it. Probably from a lack of usage he assumed because he didn't want to let his mind wonder anywhere. To either sickness or perhaps a past injury, whatever the case it wasn't an immediate problem. Getting this kid well supplied was though.

"That's right. So stick with me and we'll get through this crazy shindig together. Now, what size pants and shirts do you wear?" he asked, scoping out the large signs that hung from the Companion Care's high risen ceilings. Alright, so clothes were on the right from the looks of it. Separated into male and female sections to make it easier thank god. They barely just walked in and he felt like he was already sweating underneath his thin jacket from the temperature in the mall. They always kept the place jussst above comfortable. Either it wasn't in their control, or it was a way to scoot people along. One way or another he didn't like it and boy was he a fucking pleasure today? When Keith didn't get an immediate response from the hybrid he glanced back down with a raised brow.

Lance...looked openly confused.

"Uh...you don't know do you?" the smaller shook his head in a definite nope. Looking a little defeated by the fact so he didn't comment on it. "Well, that's fine then. We can start from scratch by guessing. Always works for me." not exactly, but it perked Lance right back up so he wasn't going to feel guilty about a little white lie. It would make this whole process a lot easier if he was feeling enthused about being here instead of upset. Not like he thought anything could bring the boy down as they weaved between racks of clothing that looked a little to large for Lance. Besides to be fair, the Companion was looking at how small or big different articles of clothing appeared to be before he seemingly settled on something of the humble variety. Jerking Keith's hand suddenly to redirect him to a simple rack of plain looking tee's that came in a variety of colors. Red's to green's, brown's to yellow's, and black's to blue's. Lance himself was eyeing the blue looking one. Running his fingers against the long and thin sleeves of each shade until he landed on a baby blue one. Patterned with darker stripes that actually looked pretty nice together. Yet he didn't pluck at the item. No, he looked up to Keith first. He was going to have to break Lance out of this habit and soon.

"If you like it and it fits you can have it you know." Keith stated, reaching out to unhook the shirt from its place so he could crouch down and hold it up to the hybrid pup. Testing out the size. It took two more tries before he decided that the small would probably fit the best on Lance, so he hung the shirt hanger and all across his arm. Thus, how the beginnings of the tedious task of picking and trying on outfits began. While at first the pup seemed to be anxious about taking any sort of lead in the event. The longer they padded around the different sections the more bold he got. Often slipping off to come back with a pair of bottoms he liked or a shirt with this bright little smile. Tail curled up like a Shibu or even a Husky breed and wagging back and forth with eagerness.

Keith was going to die before the end of the day.

Is this what he had looked like when the Shirogane's really took him shopping for the first time? Glowing like a Christmas tree on the morning of? He was almost embarrassed was it not so rewarding to see Lance jump out of the changing rooms with his arms, or arm, raised up with yips to show Keith how the clothes he liked fit together. Eventually it got to the point that he had to go get a cart to put everything in to make it easier on himself. Because he didn't realize how many things one would need for your new, ern...companion until you were trying to juggle clothes while grabbing for pairs of shoes for Lance to put on because he was to short to reach some of the shelves just yet. Something Keith had noticed was odd about the store. If it was meant for companions, then why was everything sized for regular humans? None the less they moved on without incident after Keith had eventually wrangled a cart from the front to toss everything they had gotten so far into it. Freeing up his hands for the other side of the store.

Where every other necessity for companions were located. Example? The vitamins that Allura that had suggested he buy to help rebuild Lance's health since he was a little malnourished. There were tooth brushes, winter coats, scarfs and gloves sets because like hell was he going to have him freezing when winter hit and the snow started falling. Not to mention the socks, underwear, shampoos that catered specifically to canine hybrids on top of new towels and other types of minor things like special brushes. Looking at the cart now as they walked down one of the more open aisles? Keith was beginning to think he had over done it quite a bit. But the gleam on Lance's face as he held onto the side of the basket was...kind of worth it. He was favoring his arm now but the little wag in his tail out road the discomfort. Besides, after this he was going to pick up something to eat so Lance would have some sort of food in his stomach before he took his medication. Then it'd be a half hour drive home through traffic and nap time. The pup would be lucky to stay awake through the ride once the meds hit him across the face and knocked him out sideways. Luckily for his and Keith's sanity's sake? They didn't have to make any other stops. So the day could technically end once they got out of here and split. Thank damn god.

"Excuse me?" a female voice cut in. Startling him out of his thoughtful state with a flinch as a hand touched his shoulder. Instantly a frowned formed on his face as he turned to look at the crazy woman who thought touching a random stranger was cool. Sure, they were all friends here right? Civil?

The woman who was now at his side looked to be in her mid thirties and appeared to be dressed as if she belonged in a yoga class teaching people how to stretch funny and at her side? An equally small feline companion. The coy creature was well groomed and finely dressed in comparison. Standing with her eyes off to the side with a stoic expression. Not saying a single word as her owner cleared her throat and nodded her chin to the ever oblivious canine hybrid who had managed to wonder off to a bin of stuffed plush toys. "Is that your companion?" she questioned, those thick brown brows pinching together with an expression he couldn't quite read yet as Keith looked over to Lance. Watching for a moment as the sun kissed boy poked as some of the toys with his hand. Testing out the soft texture while he looked through the different shapes and sizes. He almost smiled...almost had she not opened her mouth again.

"You know it's kind of, dangerous to have them wondering around without some form of ID of ownership in place." she explained, waving a hand down to her own companion who was sporting a collar he realized. Keith raised a single eye brow at the blonde. Blinking between the two. A collar? Allura had never said anything about having to put a collar on your companion. Sure, he often saw them trailing their masters with one. But he had always thought it was by choice or something. Keith cleared his throat.

"Oh. My bad I guess? Didn't exactly come with an owners manual." he commented with a small shrug of his shoulders. Literally, Lance had come with prescriptions and guilt for being an idiot on the type of care that the hybrid needed to be comfortable. But that was something they were currently working on right now. So what else was he doing that seemed to be against proper protocol when it came to hybrids?  
"Actually, your seller should of given you one when you purchased him. Mine came with a starter package even." she explained and he glared subtly at her. Snorting in her face as he put his hands on the basket again to otherwise walk away. They were headed towards the cashiers desk anyways to get the hell out. So he didn't need any trouble causing to stress the pup out again. Lance was smart, and he was observant when it came to his surroundings to. It was very likely that he was already catching onto the conversation Keith was having at hand by now.

"Well Lance came straight from the emergency unit. He came with stitches and nothing on his back." Keith grunted, ignoring the Shiro voice in the back of his head that told him to cool it. As expected the hybrid turned around at the sound of his name being called with wide eyes that quickly dropped with anxiousness. Thanks a lot lady he wanted to say as he held his hand out to the boy to beckon him back over to his side. Lance hesitated for a moment. But shuffled across the aisle with his head down and his arms wrapped tightly around a pastel purple shark plush that was littered with soft cream colored spots. He didn't say anything about it as he put his hand against the back of the pup's head to start guiding him forwards. Offering reassurance with his touch. "Besides, he couldn't wear one right now because of the bruising and I think I'm proof enough of ownership. So thanks for the warning anyways." He finished, and with that? Walked away lest he start something with some lady who looked a little bit of both flabbergasted and guilt ridden at having said anything at all. He knew he should feel just as bad for loosing his control on his fuse. But just the way she spoke about companions like they were a model kit to be built that came with a manual was, wrong. Irritating even. These were living beings with their own set of rights within the law and shit, so why weren't they being treated like it? Che. Coming with a starter package. Dont you dare meme that kind of crap at him chick. Not at this time of the mid morning when he could be at home wasting his life away on anime until noon.

But then again who was the public to act like they knew anything about Lance. Hell, even Keith didn't know anything about the kid beyond his current injuries and the fact that he had a rough time on the streets as a stray. He didn't know where he had come from or what had happened to the boy in the past. Not until Allura managed to dig up those files on him that is. Which at this point? He wasn't even worried about. Lance wasn't going to be made to go anywhere unless he wanted to and Keith wasn't going to just throw him out because of something that could of happened years ago either. He knew how that personally felt.

It wasn't...it didn't feel good at all.

"Come on. Let's get out of here, uh buddy." Keith muttered, using the bulk of his arm to turn the heavy basket while Lance paced along at his side with quick steps. Trying to keep up with Keith's aggrevated pace. It wasn't until they got to one of the registers and that Keith had begun to unload the things he had gotten for the boy that Lance spoke up. Or, piped up anyways with a dejected whine of sorts. Both he and the young boy at the register looked down at Lance, who was gazing up at Keith through his choppy bangs with a tiny pinched frown. If it hadn't been for the other day? He wouldn't of recognized that glossy look In those ocean blue hues.  
"Is he okay?" The boy, Ethan according to his name tag, asked.

"Yeah he's okay, it's just been a busy day." Keith responded, crouching down in front of the thin companion. "No big deal alright?" he spoke to Lance in a hushed voice, nodding his head in assurance with a soft smile as the hybrid finally met his gaze.

"Do you want to take that with you?" he asked, poking at the sharks soft nose.

"Yes, please." Lance mumbled, only looking upset for as long as it took Keith to convince him to let go of it so it could be scanned. As soon as it was Ethan handed it back to Keith who in turn gave it to Lance. Once again all was well because that smile, though wary and small, returned. Ruffling the smaller boy's hair Keith returned to setting things on the counter for the cashier to ring up and put them away into paper bags. Thank the holy whatever for his savings account. Otherwise he would of shit himself at the total price for everything. Reluctantly he plucked out his credit card and handed it over to the younger boy. Watching as it was scanned and processed with a cheerful little ping from the register. That's what savings were for he supposed. Tucking his wallet away in his back jeans pocket once more as Ethan took the liberty of loading up the basket with the purchases.

"Now that that's over with.." He sighed, eye balling the cart full of shopping bags with a perturbed expression. Thus this is why Shiro was always being a mother hen at him because he never really thought things through to the end. Which was a shame because Keith was incredibly smart. His transcripts from college told him so and he was confident in the fact himself. He just, didnt measure the outcomes to some ideas all the time. A routine excuse. "How in the hell are we going to get this stuff back to the car?"

Lance looked between the cart and Keith himself with an equally put of expression while Ethan shuffled awkwardly at the end of the belt connected to the register. Probably caught between wanting to offer but being unable to leave the store for such a long period of time. Luckily, and he meant very lucky in his case because damn if Keith didn't have some crappy relationship with lady luck, the universe was sometimes kind.  
Preforming small miracles in the form of friendships that happened to be at the right place at the right time. Saving his life once again from a disaster just waiting to happen via carrying loads of shit back and forth through the huge mall to his car out in the parking lot.

"Keith?"

Oh yes, he had a Hunk. Angel from the cloud or whatever themselves.


	6. The Savior

Hunk, was one of the few peculiar cases in which Keith couldn't exactly explain his attachment to. At first the large and rather intimidating male put him off due to stature alone. But the sheer fact that such a judgement had been passed and lost within a few hours of meeting the dark complected boy was something to think about. Hunk.....Hunk was man of stature. He was rocky in some places, more or less specifically in his upper body such as the arms, shoulders and even chest. Yet at the same time he balanced this soft and almost mother bear like personality. One that was overly caring, bubbly, wary and gentle all at once. The general 'squishy' nature of the rest of his physical build sort of added extra points to his sunny disposition as well. Allowing the people who generally interacted with him to warm up and grow comfortable around his company quickly enough. Keith wasn't very far off from the general public's impression of the large puppy like man. At first he had been some what thrown off by his voice of sarcastic reason and sheer stature alone thanks to their height and size difference. But Shiro and his idiotic adoration for local business kept them coming back to the beach side cafe that Hunk's /mother's/ owned and ran. Keith couldn't understand how someone so far ahead of his lax and to be frank, utterly unmotivated existence, could be so open and curious with someone like him. But that's just how Hunk was. If he wasn't breaking his back at the local flower shop a few blocks off the beach then he was handling the customers at the Yellow Set on the board walk. Bussing customers unneeded dishes and presenting them with extra treats for 'food science' when he noted their were either down or rather stuck in an adventurous mood. Keith himself including Shiro as well hadn't been lost to those little side dishes themselves either. After their second visit Hunk delivered a small plate with a few tidbits of things he claimed to want to try and add to their menu. Keith had been more wary at first then Shiro himself who had all but gladly gobbled down samples after it was assured to be free. Falling in love with the amazing variety of flavor instantly. Keith on the other hand? Was picky.

Almost as indecisive as they came when it revolved around foods, drinks, or even general places to pass time such as the waves thrashing against the soft sands or the parks that housed local musics and house brewed beers for leisure. Did Hunk give up? No...

Time and time again this deliciously sun baked, broad shouldered, honey caramel eyed boy bussed their table with new concoctions to try and win over Keith's tastebuds and with out fail every single time it happened? He fell a little harder on his literal face. Hiding within the sleeves of whatever two to three year old hoodie or jacket he chose to sport that day to otherwise avoid telling this bubbly lion of a man that his touch on food was just....fantastic. Anything this man touched was like a piece of heaven had descended to bless the flavor with a single kiss. Like, hell love itself had been added into the physical ingredients through common measurements and why? Because Hunk was a soul that /fueled/ on compassion. He absolutely loved to create art on the world of culinary achievements. Using his knowledge for tech and his adoration for science to add little flares to the Yellow Set's seasonal menu items. However he was also the mother hen who had enough common sense and basic human compassion to realize when some customers were due to just go home and recooperste from the festivities. Because the humble little cafe by the beach? Connected to a few miles of board walk and a plethora of various tourist sights on top of that, was still by heart a home for locals. Its roots didn't reach very far he learned through awkward run ins when Keith thought he was being clever by randomly hitting up the bar for their locally brewed spirits after long shifts at work. Hunk's parents had started it. Funded by their shared dreams of creating a space for both old and new to flock to in order to have a little taste of good culture while having fun in the process. Hunk's blood mother, Sable had married her beautiful wife Lacey on this very spot in fact. In the pretense of their proud families at the time and a few trusted business partners. It was a night Hunk sometimes brought up in Keith's company. When their glasses were half full, the sound of the ocean was licking at the sand in it's own gentle tune, and the moon was reflecting off their skin in the same snowy white hue that colored the other patrons who sat around the cozy little deck. Without a care in the world.

Long and very very winded story of social idiocy story cut short? That cafe became a second home. A place of heaven for Keith for every time he hit a wall and couldn't find a way around it whether Shiro accompanied him or not? One of the wive's as he liked to tease, or Hunk himself was always there to allow him to blow steam over a good meal and an ice cold freshly mixed drink on the house. His presene there grew from being the addicted guenia pig to a hungry friend with an honest opinion and after a few years of always showing up with his adopted brother figure on Wednesday's? It became home. Hunk, in fact...was home.

Just attempting to convey those feelings to Hunk and his pair of quirky mum's was a different story. Especially when his general range of emotions revolving around their son was so..unpredictable. Some day's Hunk was his peace of mind. His voice of reason and the leash that rangled his temper into check. Other day's? He was the man he could confide his worries into. Expressing his interuptated versions of night terrors, the taxing work of his job, and then his general life anxiety to without having to worry about being judged or teased for it. No one had really held that type of position for him before.   
Sure, the Shirogane's had and were always going to be the standing force being him and the darkness that came from loosing everything he had including himself through them having shared their almost infinite amount of love with a troublesome child like him. Takashi had become a figure of guidance as well. Sticking by his side through thick and thin when no one else would spare a second knowledgeable glance Keith's way.   
But just...something about the atmosphere at that little sun set lit restaurant was almost other worldly. With time he didn't have to feel as if he were going in there to be picked apart and judged by society for every wrong doing he might of made. No. Every time he stepped foot into the Yellow Set, he was captured in a set of warm heartening arms. A female voice booming about their second son of sorts who had come to test out their newest concoction like the loyal little pup he was. His time in the stool at the counters passed with genuine questions over his life, and honey crisp smiles that could soften even the worst of moods.

Keith didn't understand how to this day, why Hunk of all people was a man who hadn't managed to be married to the first beautiful soul he came across. He was just....he was a specimen of pure and genuine heart warming innocence that anyone lucky enough could only pass by in their lives once. Yet here Keith was. Dubiously looking at a cart full of supplies while this angel of a large teddy bear just so happened to be passing by. Due to nothing more then fate itself. That had to be the only explanation right? Or Hunk really was a damn alien with an intuition to be where he was needed most at the exact moment.

For this towering six' seven of a man wearing a vivid yellow shirt stamped with winnie the damn poo of all things. Clothed in cuffed blue jeans, tredding on baby soft yellow Van's and fit with his trade mark hand sewn head band. Decorated with a variety of patterns that symbolized his own blood related peoples to hold back his perfectly cropped bangs in a manner that any smart fucking girl would swoon over. But no...it was just Keith. Swallowing over the sudden dryness in his mouth while licking his lips to prepare for the conversation as Hunk cut the distance between them short. Wiggling his thick and yet utterly delicate fingers at the ravenette in greeting. Right alongside that very worthy award winning fucking smile. Melting him into a pile of sticky warm honey all over again.

...maybe Shiro was right? Maybe he was way in over his head with this goodie to-shoes boy. In the, best and both worst ways possible.

"Funny seeing you here. This is kind of the busy hour so I figured you would avoid the mall like the black plague itself!" Hunk teased, chuckling deeply within the bulk of his chest as he came to stand before him just at the end of the register's counter. Out of the way of the next customer behind them who had started laying out their purchases with distance dings of the scanning system. Did Keith notice? Not at all when his face felt like it was melting off to the display of the spirals and curves of ink on Hunk's right bicep. Or what was visible of it anyways.   
Fuck he was a royal mess of shit wasn't he?

"Normally? For damn sure but uh..it was about time I got Lance some normal fitting clothes so I made an exception - " he started, only to find himself cut off by Hunk's suddenly booming voice. Those massive fists capable of throwing men for miles balling up in that familiar boyish like display of excitement. Sending his pulse fluttering as those shoulders hunched and knees bent slightly. A picture of pure childish joy.

"Lance! As in, the companion Lance you sent me a picture of kind of Lance! Like, I'm saying that that's him right? Oh boy. Keith- " the large man babbled, summer brown eyes dropping to focus on the hybrid who had taken to clinging to Keith's fitted jeans with a startled death grip. Big baby ocean blue hues staring wide and glossy like at the male who had approached the master so suddenly. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. His scent was like strudels mixed with cinnamon and tea while his stance was excitable. So why was the companion still peering out at the man from behind Keith's left leg? Chest puffing in a desperate show of bravery to the height difference between the two of them?

If Hunk noticed the one way stand off? He didn't say as anything about it at all.

"He is so much smaller then in the picture you sent!" He pointed out, getting a rise out of Keith through the means of a laugh as violet eyes settled on the pup at his side with a thin smile. "Of course. Cameras lie about glamour all the time. Lance is just a..recovering case that's all." Keith explained, reaching down to rest his hand against the back of Lance's curly head. Giving him a soft push to try and edge him out from behind his leg where he had taken to fully rooting himself. They shared a brief look. Between Keith, to Hunk and then back again before Lance seemed to settle on the idea of giving this a try. The hybrid visibly swallowed with an audible gulp. Ears flicking back and then forwards to back again as he scooted towards the now crouching man. The curl of his tail wagging softly and anxiously.

Hunk didn't let the air of wariness bother him one bit. Of course he wouldn't. "Well he is just, precious. Aren't you fido?" The man asked, resting his hand lightly on the boy's ducked head to ruffle the curl of his deep mocha brown locks playfully. Lance's suddenly squeezed shut eyes opened brightly, and almost just as ease as a literal pat? His entire demeanor brightened. His body language grew more open and giddy as his much smaller hands reached up to hold onto Hunk's wrist. "Hi!" The companion blurted, a lone canine tooth poking out of his lips as they crooked up into a smile. The large man almost squealed at the difference in their hand sizes did he suddenly not grab a hold of one of Lance's own to flip it over. Exposing his palms when a coo. "Keith, buddy. Your little dude here has toe beans! Well..I guess in this case they would be hand, beans? But whatever, they're so soft.."

Keith lifted his brows in curiosity as he crouched down to inspect Lance's hand. Noting the darker patches of thick skin that colored the pads of each of his subtly more cream colored fingers. Including the palm of his hand as well. The difference in tan was by a few shades darker and just as Hunk said he noted, the pads were soft to the touch. How did he not notice that earlier? "Huh...I actually, didn't notice these before." the ravenette admitted, meeting Lance's eyes with an apologetic wince of sorts. But the boy didnt look a single bit upset about it as he tilted his head and studied his own hand. Trying to decipher what was so important about it. Hunk though, looked appalled!

"What? How was that not the first thing you looked for! All companions have them, and some times they're pink or peachy colored. Like - the other day one came in to the shop and had baby pinky beans." Hunk explained, releasing the hybrid pup's hand with a broad smile that was returned with a boyish little warble of a whine from Lance. A sound that didn't come off as anything but giddy like.

That, was the magic of Hunk. There was no way any single person could resist the warmth of the man. Keith sure as hell hadn't been able to and neither had Lance it appeared. The pup boy shuffling on his feet between them now as Hunk stood back up with a grunt. Holding that pastel little polka dotted shark in his good arm with a pair of shimmering blue hues that gleamed with content. Joy.   
"Sounds fascinating Hunk. Truly." Keith drawled, allowing his expression to fall into something akin to monotonous. Eyes rolling to meet his friend's who had fixated the same look into his own features. "Sometimes your so dry..that I think Arizona is going to call you to return it any day now." Hunk commented, before turning his attention to the basket while Keith snorted around his own humored chuckle. "Anyways you need help with this?"

"Uh...that, would kind of be cool? Just, only if your not busy. What are you even doing here anyways?" Keith questioned, beginning to loop bags onto his arms while Lance fisted his jeans on his left side once more. Taking a hold of his life line as the pair of males started to gather up everything Keith had purchased from the store.

Hunk mimicked him by also gathering up as many bags as he could to try and help cart the shit back to Keith's car. He really should of thought this through a little better.

"I was looking at the home living store. Sable wants to try and find new center peices for the dining area since winter is coming up soon." the larger explained, situating his arm load and giving Keith a look to otherwise state he was ready. So with the guiding of the basket back into its place with some difficulty the trio started to work their way through the masses once more. The traffic of people wondering in and out of stores had actually picked up while Lance and Keith were inside the Companion Care hunting down new things for the pup. So he wasnt at all ready for the bustling activity and neither was the pup himself it seemed. Lance stuck to Keith's leg like glue. Almost tripping the man a few times as he scurried to keep up when they had to squeeze through a crowd. Thank God for Hunk's stature when it came to parting people like moses with the damn sea. Keith merely trailed behind him with a disdainful expression at anyone who bumped into them or got to close to his personal space for comfort. Luckily? They made it outside without any incidents. Only that Lance was looking a little worse for ware by the time they reached the spot that the ravenette had parked his vehicle in.

It was about time he got the poor kid home so he could get him something to eat and ease the pain down with another round of pain medicine. He didn't move much from his spot by the back tail light while the two men stashed all of the bags into Keith's back seating area. Looking more then droopy and a little on edge. He was probably hurting up a storm now. That much he knew because the hybrid didn't even hesitate to lift his good arm up as much as possible when his owner stooped over to pick him up. Resting his cheek against Keith's shoulder with a disgruntled whine in the process.   
It drew Hunk's brows together in sympathy.

"He wore his poor little heart out huh?" The yellow clad man cooed, tilting his head slightly with a sad grin as he reached between then to scratch softly at that floppy little ear of Lance's.

"Yeah. He's still in a great deal of pain from the surgery so it's..probably about time I got him back, I guess." he explained, biting at the side of his inner cheek as that familiar sense of awkwardness came back. "So, thanks for helping me carry this crap out. I appreciate it."

Hunk didn't miss a beat though. Beaming like a child who just got a gold star stamped on their chart for good behavior as he leaned in to give Keith a careful one armed 'bro' hug. That's what he was deeming it, otherwise he would have a damn heart attack. "Any time man. That's what friends are for." 


	7. Notes/Vote!!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a question

I hate doing this, but since I've been lucky enough to have some bookmarks and commenters on this fic I thought I would ask before anything changed majorly. 

Or even not so majorly. 

_But~_

_How would you guys feel about me bringing on a Co-writer or Beta Reader?_

I've been roleplaying with them for a full year or so now and they are amazing at writing dialogue and creating tension between characters as well as bring in an foe for the story to battle against. I'm not going to Lie. I had a chart filled out for this fic before I started it and somehow though not to surprised, I have run a bit off course from that. Not to mention i hit a slump;. So I wanted to try and see if they were interested in helping me write this fic out. Which! Is why I'm asking for advice. If the agree, which I hope they do! Then the style might change a tad bit. But I promise you'll love it ~ 

Just comment below about you're thoughts and get ready. I'm working on the next chapter slowly right now when I'm feeling that creative streak. Hunk is going to he a big part of it to. Promise. I'm just in the middle of moving and my work place is changing up rules so it's been a bit stressful. But I'll have it too you as soon as I can <3 

Thank you for coming to this Ted talk! Comment below if you feel like giving some feedback. I always like hearing from you guys!


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (( after much...much delay thanks to life, I give you an update! A small one because I'm terrible; but I edit these on my phone so it's easier. I am! However working on the next chapter already ~

Hours later finds Keith sitting on the couch with his laptop resting on his slightly raised knees. Eyes roaming over companion friendly job listings while the TV drones in the back ground with one of the various cooking shows on Netflix right now. It's Hunk's favorite kind of past time. Regardless of how much he knows about the rush of flavors and the art of mixing them together perfectly. Keith is almost envious sometimes because neither he nor Shiro can cook very well. Not like that anyways. He himself has some skill when it comes to hearty meals like roast? A few select casseroles and then beyond that it's nothing but microwavable shit here to prevent his brother from burning the entire house down before nightfall every day. This poor companion is going to be in for a long life full of the same diet if they can't learn how to make things of more variety. For right now he didn't think he truly had to worry about that.   
Lance's appetite was still to weak due to his shrunken stomach. His time out on the streets was still undetermined, but after rushing him to Allura's care last night? He's been updated on vaccines and has the medicine he needs to prevent infection and begin his road to good health. So long as they didn't let him starve or poison him on cup of noodles.

Keith dropped his gaze down to the pup curled across his stomach and chest. Watching him rest peacefully from his odd point of view before he sighed, turning his lidded gaze back to the computer screen itself. Lance.

He didn't particularly feel confident about moving jobs. Not when he was a tier under the owner and made enough money from the place to support himself rather comfortably. But seeing the hybrid boy in such a state? Rushing into the carnage the small male had caused in his horrified search for someone, _anyone_  to assure himself he hadn't been abandoned? Was a wake up call. This wasn't going to work if he couldn't be there for Lance. At least right now when he was still a fresh addition to the 'Gane household. Where bonds hadn't thickened into something you could trust just yet. Keith could sympathize. He had come from multiple homes before he was lucky enough to settle down and find the perfect family that fit with him. Humble people who had enough patience to deal with his behavior. It's why he couldn't be mad at the damage Lance had done to himself by clawing and scratching around the doors to, try and get out. He didn't exactly mourn the broken lamp or even the chew holes in his comforter from where Lance had nibbled out of rising panic. It wasn't his fault he had scars. It was Keith's for not thinking ahead of the game and considering the fucking fact he probably had the same wounds. Open and now sore from having salt poured on them by Keith's actions.

"Hey, buddy I can hear you thinking from here." Hunk spoke up, having turned to better face the ravenette at some unseen point in time thanks to how deep Keith had been in his own mind. He was the perfect picture of casual with the way his thick arm was thrown across the back of the couch, one ankle crossed over his knee and eyes warm while his dark brows curved up in obvious concern. Open. Inviting him to talk when Keith had been quiet every since they'd had lunch and gotten settled down in the living room. Prepared to laze the day away together in the fashionable manner of sweats on Keith's part.

He swallowed, setting the laptop on the coffee table with careful motions so as to not shift Lance to much. His eyes needed a damn break already. He was sick at looking at the fake, bubbly nature of some of the applications considering most of them were cafe's. Ugh.

"Sorry, Hunk. I'm just a little overwhelmed." he explained gruffly, cupping his hand beneath his chin out of habit to brush at the scar the decorated his skin there. It wasn't as raised as it use to be. Having softened in color and smoothed over with time after the, accident. But it was a fidget he fell back on when particularly perplexed. Most of the time he didn't even notice when he did it.

"Well I'd think it a bit normal for you to be. What's got you so screwy? Talk to me man." Hunk hummed, encouraging Keith to let that guard down and allow the stress to wiggle its way out into the open to be judged.

No, sated until the build up was to much again. Hunk never judged him for his actions. He simply was there every time Keith needed him to be as a voice of logical reason without hesitation and it was a personality trait he found incredibly endearing. A part of who this guy was that made Keith thankful for what he had in life right now. To many people had taken a look at Keith and decided he was to much to handle. For personal reasons or otherwise. But not Hunk. He had thrust his big hand out with a smile that could make the sun go timid in adortion and opened the doors to this, friendship. He was one of a kind that was for fucking sure.

"Do, you think I'm really cut out for this? I don't know the first thing about taking care of a companion. I eat eggs on a daily basis because I can't burn that. I don't remember to brush my hair half of the damn time! This is a whole person." He breathed out, pushing his hand through his bangs to brush them out of his face before laying his palm to rest on Lance's lithe little frame. Taking in briefly the gentle way his shoulder rose and fell slowly in his sleep peacefully. Entirely oblivious to the tension wafting off of the person who had taken him in so long as he had the warmth from that very human to rest his cheek against in sleep. It, made him anxious honestly. He knew little to nothing about Lance yet and this hybrid pup was already so attatched. Not quite trusting on all grounds but definitely having already weaseled his way into Keith's personal space with no qualms about doing so. Hunk chuckled, and the heavy yet warm hand that came to rest on his knee drew his attention with little effort. Stormy grey and violet rose to meet summer brown and autumn hues that were full of something amused. His brows fell flat over his lids which only made Hunk laugh. Deep and hearty.

"I think the fact that you're this worried is a good sign in itself." Hunk spoke, soft and serious yet his eyes were warm. Open and inviting to accept whatever Keith threw at him on response.

This man was always so...guard less like that. He opened his heart to everyone he met with eyes that spotted good in even the negative part of their lives. Keith himself hadn't been his most, inviting when he had first met this cheery towering of a man who held a plate of steaming hot little samplers for them to test because his curiosity drove him to break basic human barriers and communicate. Hunk wore his heart on his sleeve and people adored him for it. Keith, adored him for it because he knew he wasn't the easiest to befriend. But he liked to think what they had now was beyond just acquaintances. Especially when seeing his name flash across his phone screen sent little thrills through his chest...

"You spent a chunk of your tightly kept savings on a companion you barely know. If you weren't the right type of person to handle caring for Lance? I think you would of chased him off of the yard like anyone else, Keith. You gotta give yourself more credit." Hunk cooed, squeezing his knee with one of those sugary sweet, piping hot fresh off the stove soupy warm smiles.

"You brought him in, got him care and invited him into your home. I think that counts for something. A mistake is a mistake. You didn't know Lance had anxieties and that's normal. You've known each other for a brief amount of time. But if you want an honest opinion? Lance looks happy, you're invested and you _care_. I believe...that's what matters don't you buddy?" he finished, meeting Keith's worried eyes and sending a jolt of gooey calm through his system.

The stress of being inadequate? The anxiety of not being enough support to push this pup onto the right path to further heal himself and find the type of life he deserved? Washed off into a sense of calm that only Hunk could bring about it seemed. Shiro wasn't far from the right path, not that Keith would ever let him know that. God knows he got to tease his stupid ass enough for how he would drop anything to get lost in text for a few moments just to respond back to this hulking man of warmth and sweetness. He was whipped. Beyond belief and that kind of....level hadn't even been breached yet. If it ever would be.

It was hard for someone like himself to find a deep, lasting friendship like this and he be comfortable enough to open himself to it. So if he felt that saying anything was to bold of a step he felt justified. Keith would give his left nut if it meant never fucking up the kind of friendship he had with Hunk. Besides he wasn't entirely sure the big guy felt anything for anyone when it came to that. Keith wasn't exactly good at being a second half to anyone either if it was romantically involved. Not only was his expierence small? But it usually ended quickly enough when he began to feel..anxiety towards them. Fear of how cuddly and nice they were being when that was just basic relationship quo of course.

"Thanks, Hunk." Keith smiled, wide and genuine. If the other man's heart stuttered the it didn't show across his pleased expression. Looking proud of himself for settling his friend's problem of self doubt. "Now..I just need to find a new job and I guess I'll be on the right track." the ravenette sighed, tilting his head back against the arm rest just as the front door pushed open with a sticky rush of air. It always got stuck after a good rain.

Lance's ear bapped softly at Keith's adam's apple as it flicked towards the new sound but otherwise the boy didn't stir. Not over the raven haired man sitting up a little straighter nor at Hunk suddenly jumped to pull his hand away from Keith's knee in favor of waving at the pair coming in with a shuffle of shoes and jackets. "Hey guys!"

Shiro was the first to appear around the corner. Looking a little worn but other wise found relief at the sight of Hunk. Usually when he was around they were one hundred percent promised a good meal for dinner. "Good to see you Hunk. I feel like it's been a week."

Keith snorted, "You mean since we've had something other then basic pasta?"

The older squinted subtly at the jab but didn't rise to the bait as Allura appeared. His eyes fell away from his brother to the file that she was carrying against her hip as Hunk began to go off on their poor eating habits. Now that the long running joke had been proven a lasting reality. The woman caught his eye and with a heavy sigh she came over and held the nilla folder out for him to take. He didn't need to see Lance's name in simple ink font on the front to know it was the information he had been waiting for on the pup. "This is it?" he murmured, taking it in hand with a frown at how it weighed heavier then it looked. The folder was probably a good two inches thick at most. But it held more the what met the eye it seemed.

"Yes. I believe that is everything you will need to know on him. From past ownerships to clinic visits and even his personal health. I insist you take the time to read over all of it. I think it will, help you alot." she equally looked disturbed, but her demeanor softened when she glanced down at the sleeping companion. Whose fingers twitched in their sleep and that face smushed up against his chest peaceful as ever. Showing no traces of discomfort but just comfortable content.

_This is it._


End file.
